NEWS & INFO

Cold Weather Tips

Brr…it’s cold outside!  The following guidelines will help you protect your companion animals when the mercury dips.

1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.
   
   
2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.
   
   
3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm—dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.
   
   
4. Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.
   
   
5. Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.
   
   
6. Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.
   
   
7. Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.
   
   
8. Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him—and his fur—in tip-top shape.
   
   
9. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information.
   
   
10. Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

Buying Prescription Medicine Online:
A Consumer Safety Guide

Buying your pets medicine online can be easy.

Just make sure you do it safely.

The Internet has changed the way we live, work and shop. The growth of the Internet has made it possible to compare prices and buy products without ever leaving home. But when it comes to buying medicine online, it is important to be very careful. Some websites sell medicine that may not be safe to use and could put your pet’s health at risk.

Some websites that sell medicine:

·         aren’t U.S. state-licensed pharmacies or aren’t pharmacies at all

·         may give a diagnosis that is not correct and sell medicine that is not right for your pet or is/her condition

·         won’t protect your personal information
 

Some medicines sold online:

·         are fake (counterfeit or “copycat” medicines)

·         are too strong or too weak

·         have dangerous ingredients

·         have expired (are out-of-date)

·         aren’t FDA-approved (haven't been checked for safety and effectiveness)

·         aren’t made using safe standards

·         aren’t safe to use with other medicine or products your pet uses  

·         aren’t labeled, stored, or shipped correctly

MEET AND TALK WITH YOUR VETERINARIAN

·         Talk with your vet and have a physical exam before you get any new medicine for the first time.

·         Use ONLY medicine that has been prescribed by your vet or another trusted professional who is licensed in the U.S. to write prescriptions for medicine.

·         Ask your vet if there are any special steps you need to take to fill the prescription.

These tips will help protect you and your pet if you buy medicines online:

KNOW YOUR SOURCE to make sure it’s safe

Make sure a website is a state-licensed pharmacy that is located in the United States. Pharmacies and pharmacists in the United States are licensed by a state's board of pharmacy. Your state board of pharmacy can tell you if a website is a state-licensed pharmacy, is in good standing, and is located in the United States. Find a list of state boards of pharmacy on the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) website at www.nabp.net.

The NABP is a professional association of the state boards of pharmacy. It has a program to help you find some of the pharmacies that are licensed to sell medicine online. Internet websites that display the seal of this program have been checked to make sure they meet state and federal rules. For more on this program and a list of pharmacies that display the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites™ Seal, (VIPPS^® Seal), go to www.vipps.info.

Look for websites with practices that protect you and your pet

A safe website should:

1.      be located in the United States and licensed by the state board of pharmacy where the website is operating (check www.nabp.net for a list of state boards of pharmacy)

2.      have a licensed pharmacist to answer your questions

3.      require a prescription from your veterinarian who is licensed in the United States to write prescriptions for medicine

4.      have a way for you to talk to a person if you have problems
 

BE SURE YOUR PRIVACY IS PROTECTED

Look for privacy and security policies that are easy-to-find and easy-to-understand.

Don’t give any personal information (such as social security number, credit card, or medical or health history), unless you are sure the website will keep your information safe and private.

Make sure that the site will not sell your information, unless you agree.

PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS

Report websites you are not sure of, or if you have complaints about a site.

Go to www.fda.gov/buyonline and click on “Notify FDA about problem websites.”
 

Buying your pets medicine online can be easy. Just make sure you do it safely.