Old Town Crier - July 2021 Full Issue

Page 22

POINTS ON PETS

STEPH SELICE

T

he world is opening up again, and people can’t wait to enjoy post-pandemic life with their families, including their animals. How will this summer be different for our pets, and what should we be aware of?

Caring for Our Pets in the Aftercorona . . . Many pet lovers have postposed vet care during lockdown, so home-visit and clinic-based vets expect a busy summer. Millions of Americans (including first-time pet folks) have welcomed new animals in the last year, which set records for pet adoptions nationwide. Vets suggest that your pets have checkups, current vaccinations, and flea/tick treatments before they interact again with other people outdoors or in your home, whether or not those humans are vaccinated. Make sure your pets, even the ones who live only indoors, have microchips (with current contact information in the online registry) and wear collars or IDs. Because many of us have changed daily schedules or stayed home more than usual, our family 20 | July 2021

dynamics may have changed, which affects pet behavior and well-being. Dogs and cats in particular like their routines, and many of these have been disrupted. Vets are recommending that we give our pets the attention, time, and space they need as we go back to regular work and school schedules. Just as life transitions are tough on humans, they can be stressful for our pets. Vets suggest we ease our pets into new schedules slowly. Playing with your pets and keeping them active and engaged will help them feel loved—

and happily tired afterward. This will make it easier to leave home as part of your new normal routine. As you bring family and friends home again, reintroduce the people and pets your love to each other under supervision, perhaps after an initial separation in a different room, and with all paws on deck. Dogs, cats, and other pets may be territorial about having had you and your family all to themselves for a year, so be patient: now they have to share you again!

. . . and the After-Cicada Some vet clinics report visits regarding Brood X cicadas, particularly when pets have dined on some. Live cicadas should be done visiting Virginia by July. Eating a cicada carcass or two should be safe for your dog or cat, but gorging on them (or other insects) may bring a bellyache, cramping, or diarrhea. As with any other pet dining experience, sampling, moderation, and human POINTS ON PETS > PAGE 21

Old Town Crier


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Go Fish

5min
page 44

Open Space

4min
page 45

First Blush

6min
page 43

Fitness

3min
page 41

Exploring Virginia Wines

7min
pages 39-40

Let’s Eat

5min
pages 34-35

Dining Out

5min
pages 32-33

To the Blue Ridge

5min
pages 30-31

Dining Guide

4min
page 36

Grapevine

6min
pages 37-38

Road Trip

7min
pages 28-29

From the Bay

8min
pages 26-27

Take Photos, Leave Footprints

2min
page 20

Caribbean Connection

3min
pages 24-25

Points on Pets

7min
pages 22-23

Pets of the Month

3min
page 21

Independence Day Feature

6min
page 19

Business Profile

7min
pages 6-7

Urban Garden

5min
page 18

Arts & Antiques

4min
page 17

Gallery Beat

3min
page 16

Financial Focus

3min
page 10

The Last Word

3min
page 13

A Bit of History

9min
pages 11-12
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