How to Be Ready For A Natural Disaster - Pet Safety Tips & Strategies - Dr. Basko

How to Be Ready For A Natural Disaster – Pet Safety Tips & Strategies

The stormy season is upon us again!

Each section below will give you some advice on how to navigate safely through a crisis with your pets. The best thing you can do is to study the components below right now, so that you will be ready if a natural disaster occurs in your area.

How to Create a Top-Notch Action Plan

Read this guide and take some time to meet with your family to discuss what you will do, where you will go, and who is responsible for which preparation item.
Create of list of things you need to purchase, and things you already have on-hand. Make time to purchase the things you need.
If you can, gather a group of people (friends, neighbors, community members) to collaborate with you on this action plan. Remember that there is strength in numbers. Perhaps one family can be in charge of storing canned goods, while another family can provide backyard veggies and produce? Use a buddy system to care for each others’ pets in case of emergency.

Note: This is a long article.

I wanted it to be as concise and as useful as possible, so the information below is definitely worth a look. I’ve also listed some dietary and medical considerations if you want to skim to the middle of the article.

Before a Crisis – What to Do NOW:

1. Buy extra collars and I.D. tags.

Have collars and tags made with your name, address, phone numbers, and email address. Also if possible, have your vet microchip your pets. This procedure is best done while your pet is under anesthesia (like when your dog or cat is being spayed or neutered). I don’t advocate that pets have much exposure to anesthesia (because of the side effects and risks), so the fewer the exposures, the better!

2. Have a leash or two for each pet.

You never know when you’ll need an extra leash! You might need to extend your pet’s leash, or you may come across another lost pet during an emergency and may have to care for it until the danger has passed.

3. Buy a portable plastic crate for each dog and cat, and get them used to it.

Make the crate comfortable (with mats, blankets, etc.), and train them to associate it with fun and food (use chew toys and food snacks to associate the crate with positive things). By nature, both dogs and cats appreciate a den-like space to hide and sleep in. However, if your pet is not used to this, expect to spend some time rekindling their inner instincts to use a crate.

There are a number of great resources online that can teach you how to crate-train your pets. It is a humane and safe way to transport and contain your pets, especially during a high-stress time.

Check out Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Dog Star Daily site for tips. You can also find his crate training article here.

Crates can be purchased online on Craigslist, pet stores, and from your veterinarian. The crate should be appropriately sized with enough room in the carrier for food and water dishes, space for the pet to stand up, lie down, and turn around, and if for a kitty (it should include a shoebox sized litter box). Also make sure that your crate fits into your car so that you can transport your pet safely during an emergency.

Again it is very useful to acclimate your pet to a crate before you actually need to confine them in one.

4. Buy non-spill type water and food bowls that fit into your crate.

When disaster strikes, your pet may have to live out of his or her crate for some time. Make it easy for them to keep it clean by getting some non-spill, travel-friendly bowls.

5. Have good photographs of your pet ready in case they get lost.

Take lots of pictures of your pets from all angles, and store these images in multiple places so you have guaranteed access to them, in case your pets become lost during a natural disaster. These pictures can help people identify your pet, and increase the likelihood that people will recognize and return him or her to you.

6. Stock up on natural calming supplements.

Keep the natural supplement “Genesis brand Anxiety & Stress Formula” on hand to help calm your pet during a stressful situation.

Use the Buddy System

One great thing to do now is to set up a system of amazing people (friends, neighbors, or family) who can help you care for your animals in case you become separated from them or your house. You never know where you will be when disaster hits.

Maintain a mutually beneficial buddy system so that your friends or neighbors can come over and take control of your pets in case of evacuation or other impending crisis. They can take responsibility for your pets until you are able to meet them, and you can do the same for them.

Also set up a plan with your veterinarian to arrange for neighbors or friends to bring your pet in for emergency care if you are unavailable. Have your vet draft up a legal document stating that you allow your trusted neighbor or friend to act as your proxy if it is an emergency and you cannot be reached, and that you will assume all veterinary costs upon your return.

What if Your Pet Goes Missing?

If your pets happen to get lost during an emergency, immediately contact your local humane society and file a lost pet report. Also write a post on Craigslist.org, in the Pets section, and inform others of your missing friend. Also don’t discount the usefulness of neighborhood signs. Colorful signs will inform those in your neighborhood that the stray dog roaming around on Isenburg Street is actually your lost pet!

It’s helpful to have the following ready in advance, so that you’ll be able to quickly provide lots of information to help return your pet to you.

Photos of your pet from many different angles
A written description with any unusual characteristics
The best way to approach your pet (i.e. “LOVES food so please call his name and use bits of meat to lure him over” or “Somewhat shy and fearful so please don’t make sudden movements or he’ll run away”)
Your contact info: phone, email, home address

First Aid Kit Checklist

The following supplies are highly suggested for medical emergencies and should be included in your first aid kit.

Hydrogen Peroxide
Neosporin
Eye Ointment
Betadine Solution
Neosporin Wound Gel
Sterile Saline Solution
Epsom Salts
Sterile Eye Wash
Tourniquets
Aloe Vera Juice
Bandage Scissors
Spray Bottle
Tweezers
Ampicillin or Tetracycline
Goldenseal Powder
Doxycycline
Rubbing Alcohol

Homeopathics

Arnica
Aconitum
Ledum
Rescue remedy
Apis mel

Bandage Materials

Non-stick gauze pads
4″x4″ cotton gauze pads
Roll gauze
Vet wrap rolls
Cotton diapers or roll cotton
2 ” tape porous
4″ tape porous
2″ waterproof tape
Duct tape
2″ & 4″ ace bandage
Liniments (good for pain management): witch hazel, tiger balm, Zhengu Shui
Cotton balls
Q-tips

After A Crisis Hits

Gather your family and your pets and proceed to a safer location!

A Word on Shelters

Due to so-called “hazards” to human health (logistics and sanitation problems), pets are not permitted in public shelters. Pet owners need to make their own advanced preparations to ensure the safety of their pets in the event of a disaster. Many animals died after Hurricane Iniki (here in Hawaii) because pet owners left them tied up, and forgotten for days (in some cases, for weeks!). Many dogs strangled themselves on what normally would not be considered dangerous objects because they were left in stressful conditions while the family evacuated.

If you are reading this guide, I don’t expect that you are the kind of person to leave your pets behind. Still, it needs to be said, and you can pass this info on to those less informed about the dangers of leaving your pet at home during an emergency.

If you must evacuate your home, pack up your pet and his accessories and place your pet into your car (securely restrained in his crate). Once you get to your destination, you may want to keep your pets inside their crates until the worst of it is over (especially if you are experiencing a natural disaster like a hurricane, and you have a shy or anxious pet). Be sure to let dogs out for bathroom breaks (use a leash and collar), and no dog should be kept in a crate for longer than six hours.

Have your dogs and cats wear a well-fitted collar and identification tag at all times. Cats need “break-away” collars (that release upon tangling) to prevent them from choking or injury, if the collars get snagged on a fence or tree.

After the emergency or disaster, attend to your pets as soon as possible. They may be frightened and disorientated. Allow your pets outside only when on a leash, and above all be sure your pet is wearing a collar and ID tag. Familiar scents and landmarks may have been altered causing your pet to become confused and possibly lost. This is especially true for cats.

After Hurricane Iniki hit in Hawaii, the local humane society received thousands of calls for lost pets. It is necessary to take extra precautions and care after a disaster to ensure your pets’ safety.

After the ordeal, your dog will probably experience some separation anxiety as this traumatic event will cause him to rely on you for guidance and direction.

So, when you must leave Baxter home alone, try to leave him inside the house where he will feel safer and less anxious. If your dog is used to being tethered, make sure he is away from fences or other areas where he could spook and hurt himself, and provide shade, toys, treats and water.

Dietary Considerations

Next to having shelter and water, food is a main concern for pet owners during disasters. You should have at least a one-month supply food for dogs and cats. This is where commercial canned and dry food can come in handy.

When your supply of commercial food runs out, you can offer bits of your own meals. (In fact, I fully support feeding dogs 100 percent real food and you can learn more about creating a balanced and nutritious diet for your dog in my book: Fresh Food & Ancient Wisdom).

If you are not already cooking food for your pets or feeding table scraps, this will be necessary when your supply of commercial food runs out.

Animals can be fed many of the foods that people eat. They could also hunt, kill and eat rodents, insects, and forage for fruits and vegetables that grow on the islands. It would be very advisable for people to have gardens in their back yards, or some shared plot designed for communities for to grow their own vegetables and fruits to live on. Like us, our pets require protein, carbohydrates, sugars, fats, and minerals to maintain a balanced diet.

The info below details what you can feed pets and the proportions to feed in the event of a disruption in our supplies of commercial dog and cat food.

Home-cooked and raw food diets can be formulated based upon individual needs of cats & dogs. Using the volume (%) formulas listed below, you can utilize “people food” and “table scraps” to feed your pets. If you have refrigeration you can make a week’s supply of food at one time.

These ratios are measured in cups.

For example, if a dog needs 20% protein + 50% starches + 30% vegetables, this can be represented as 2 cups of meat + 5 cups of rice + 3 cups of veggies.

Then depending upon the body weight of your dog, you can feed about ½ cup of this mixture per 10 – 20 lbs. of your dog’s weight. A 50lb dog would eat about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of dog food twice a day.

Cats on the other hand will eat about ¼ cup to ½ cup twice daily. [/box_note]

Protein

DOGS: Can survive on a diet of 15 to 25 % protein. Younger animals need more protein in their diets and older dogs need less.

CATS: Can survive on a diet of 30 to 60% protein. Kittens will need more protein than an adult cat.

Suitable sources of protein:

Turkey
Chicken
Duck
Rabbit
Pork
Beef
Goat
Lamb
Organ Meats (such as liver, kidneys, heart, and gizzards are very good if available)
Lentils (cooked)
Beans (cooked)
Eggs (raw or cooked)
Nuts (ground macadamia, sesame seeds, almonds, and sunflower seeds)
Protein Powder (milk based if possible… soy powder may be harder to absorb)
Fish (due to parasite problems, fresh water fish should be cooked)
Canned Tuna or Sardines
Spirulina Seaweed (kelp, limu)
Powdered or Canned Milk

Of course, cats will hunt for rats, mice, geckos, and birds to supplement their protein needs.

Starches

This category includes grains and vegetables.

DOGS: Need 40 to 50% of their diet to be comprised of starches and carbohydrates.

CATS: Need 25 -30%. Younger animals need less carbohydrates (and more protein), older ones require more carbs.

Suitable starches to feed:

Rice (brown or white)
Barley
Sweet Potato
Quinoa
Breadfruit
Pasta
Taro
Poi
Whole Wheat Bread
Potato
Millet
Tapioca
Pumpkin
Squash
Green Papaya (cooked)
Bananas (cooked)
Pandanus Root (cooked)

For cats and dogs to digest these properly, grains and vegetables must be cooked.

Fats

This category includes vegetables, oils, and meats.

DOGS: Need 1 tablespoon per 25 lbs. of body weight. If your dog isn’t eating much meat  then double this amount.

CATS: Need 1 teaspoon per 10 lbs. of body weight twice daily.

Suitable sources of healthy fats:

Avocado
Coconut Meat or Oil
Macadamia Nut Oil
Vegetable Oil
Canned Tuna
Fish Oil
Shell fish (shrimp, lobster, oysters, and clams)

Fruits

Fruits supply sugar, vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants, and mineral… good energy food. If you run out of other things to feed, dogs usually will eat any of the fruits listed below, especially if mixed with coconut milk. Cats will usually not eat any fruits except cantaloupe and tomato juice.

Suitable fruits to feed:

Papaya
Guava
Banana
Apricots
Tomatoes
Apples
Melons
Citrus
Breadfruit

Minerals

If animals are not eating balanced diets, the most important thing to add to  whatever foods they are eating are minerals. Without minerals, animals will die.

Suitable sources of minerals:

Seaweed (limu)
Alaea Sea Salt
Seashells (crushed and sterilized)
Forest Mushrooms (growing on dead logs, tough hard type known as polypores)
Shiitake Mushrooms
Spirulina
Bluegreen Algae

A ½ teaspoon mixed with food per 25lb dog or 10lb-cat daily is necessary if meat and vegetables are not provided.

Vitamins

When animals are sick, old, young, or eating unbalanced diets, they will die without vitamins. Keep an extra stock of pet vitamins stored. Human vitamin products can be used in pets. Check with your veterinarian for dosages.

The following mixture can be used on both cats & dogs:

1 CUP  BREWER’S YEAST +  ¼ CUP KELP POWDER  +   ¼ CUP BONE MEAL  +  ¼ CUP (Schiff’s brand) LIVER POWDER  +  1/8 CUP SPIRULINA

Dosage:  

DOGS
- Small dogs: ½ teaspoon twice daily
- Medium dogs: 1 teaspoon twice daily
- Large dogs: 2 teaspoons twice daily
 CATS: ½ to ¾ teaspoon, twice daily mixed with food

Water

Animals (and people) can survive without food longer than water. Our bodies and our pets’ bodies are comprised of over 85 percent water. The body needs water to make blood cells,repair tissues, assist in absorbing nutrients to help feed cells, and remove waste products from the blood.

Dogs: The average dog needs about 1 cup of water per 20 lbs. of body weight per day. If only dry food is eaten, then this should be TWICE as much especially in hot weather. Puppies, older dogs, and animals, which are ill, require more.
Cats: Cats usually do not drink as much water as a dog, but liquids must be given especially if fed only dry food. Canned milk or powdered milk added to water can induce them to take more fluids. This is important for cats with kidney or bladder problems. Some cats will enjoy tomato juice mixed with their dried food. The average cat should drink about ½ cup of water per 6 lbs. of body weight daily.

It is essential to store water (1 – 3 months supply) if living in the city, or on the drier parts of the island (in Hawaii). If you plan to store water for more than 6 months, it should be in GLASS CONTAINERS because plastic containers will leak poisonous substances that could be fatal to guinea pigs, hamsters, aquarium fish, and birds. If you live near a fairly clean stream, you can boil that water (15 minutes), or use a camping-type water-filtering pump.

The main concerns for using stream water are:

Parasites: Leptospirosis & Giardia
Bacteria: E. coli, Staph., & Strep
Viruses: Hepatitis
 Chemicals: Pesticides, Herbicides, Poisons
 Heavy metals: Lead, Mercury, Arsenic

Boiling water with a lid on your pot will take care of the first three concerns, but special filters are needed to remove chemicals and heavy metals.

Medical Considerations

During a disaster veterinary services may be hard to come by due to downed telephone and electric poles, lack of communication, and little or no gasoline to drive anywhere. It is important to learn some animal first aid, store extra medications, bandage supplies, and if your pets are chronically ill, extra supplies of medicine. The main considerations to worry during times of disasters when veterinary services may be limited are:

Compromised Immune System

a. Puppies should be vaccinated against Parvo & Distemper
b. Adult dogs should be current for Leptospirosis if they are exposed to rivers, streams and rats. To protect against infection give doxycycline 50 mg per 25-50lbs body weight of dog once daily if your pet is living near streams or mud puddles near cattle ranches or pig farms. The vaccine administered routinely by veterinarians will NOT protect your dog from the leptospirosis from cattle and pigs. Check with your veterinarian. Lepto can be fatal if left untreated. Cats are rarely affected.
c. Immune stimulating products can be given to PREVENT problems such as: Vit C,Echinacea, bioflavanoids, zinc, medicinal mushrooms (shiitake, reishi, and maitake),and Chinese Patent flu medications (Yin Qiao, Ganmaoling)

Parasites

a. Have at least a 6 -month supply of heart worm preventative medicine (Pro-Heart,Ivermectin, Heartguard, or Interceptor)
  b. Fleas / ticks  If water is available, simple bathing every 5-7 days with a pyrethrin based shampoo, Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint soap, or a cedar based shampoo will be effective. Alternatively, you may add 1 tsp of oil of neem, citronella, or rosemary to any mild human shampoo. Check with your veterinarian.   c. Intestinal worms: the most common types are tapeworms. If medication is not available, they can be controlled (but not totally irradicated) by feeding garlic.

Dogs:  Small: ½ raw clove twice daily for one week  Medium: 1 clove twice daily for one week  Large: 2 cloves twice daily for one week

Following the garlic give a small meal of white rice, coconut milk, and ripe or cooked papaya. Feed only one main meal daily and decrease the amount of meat for that week. Repeat in 4 to 6 weeks. The worms will come out alive and “kicking”.

Cats:  ½ teaspoon of powdered pumpkinseeds twice daily and mixed with wet food for 1 week. Repeat in 3 weeks. If possible feed raw ripe papaya (1 tablespoon) mixed with each meal.

Accidents

After Hurricane Iniki, the most common injuries were lacerations (deep cuts), and puncture wounds. It is important to first control bleeding with a tourniquet and / or constant pressure to the area. Then…..

1. Clean the wounds  Fresh Clean water (1 cup) + sea salt (1/2)  Use this solution in a spray bottle and clean dirt & debris out
2. Disinfect  Betadine solution mixed with water 1:1 Or Goldenseal or Hawaiian tumeric (olena) 1 tsp. in 1 cup of hot water (It would be advantageous to have Ampicillin or Tetracycline on hand to administer orally – Ask your veterinarian) Or Hydrogen peroxide (1/2 cup) mixed with Aloe Vera juice (1/2 cup)
3. Heal  Fresh ALOE Vera from the plant works really well
4. Protect  If possible, bandage the wound to protect dirt and debris from infecting the wound  1st layer: non-stick gauze (or clean Ti or comfrey leaf)  2nd layer: roll gauze or clean cotton shirt cut into 1 to 2 inch wide strips 12 -18 inches long 3rd layer: tape the bandage so it doesn’t come apart

CHANGE DRESSINGS DAILY

Photos via smiteme, smiteme