Nevis Humane Society

First Aid: Poisoning in Pets

admin — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:27:16 +0000

All owners of dogs on Nevis should be aware that dogs are routinely poisoned-for a variety of reasons.
It is against the Nevis “Protection of Animals Act” a law first enacted in 1935-yet the law is not enforced today. Usually, the reason given is that dogs are poisoned by angered goat or sheep herders who have had their herds attacked. The goat owner might not know the specific dog that attacked their animal so will set out poison in the village- perhaps poisoning all the dogs (and cats) along a road for example. This poison is usually bits of fish or meat laced with poison, wrapped in a small piece of tin foil, left on the ground for a hungry animal to find, be it cat, dog and even mongoose. Many animals here are hungry as they are not fed but are left to rummage in garbage bins-thus the local term “Dung bin dogs.”
Often times, dogs are poisoned while in their yards-for no apparent reason. Be sure your dog is properly contained in your yard, but also be extremely alert if you walk your dog as poison can be placed anywhere at any time-even on the beach. It is also against the law in Nevis for goats and sheep to roam free. Years ago when there was more farming done on the Island the laws were enforced more often. If you see roaming animals you might report it to the police and suggest they enforce the law.
There is a very fast acting poison that is being smuggled into Nevis and causes death within 20 minutes. If you find any unusual foil packets in your yard be very cautious on handling it and report it to the police. You might suggest that the laws be enforced here as well.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOUR DOG
The best and perhaps only thing you can do against this lethal substance is to prevent your dog from ever eating it by training the dog to never drink or eat anything except what is placed in their bowl. You can do this by having other people offer the dog pieces of meat with hot pepper outside the bowl and placing plain meat in the bowl. Also do the same with their water. Do this repeatedly until you are satisfied that the dog will not be tempted by any food or liquid source outside its bowl.
What should I do if I suspect that my pet has been poisoned?

First - call your veterinarian or the National Animal Poison Control Center at 1-800-548-2423 or 1-900-680-0000. In Nevis you can call Dr. Barlette at 469-0878, if it is during working hours during the week, or Ross University has a vet on call at all times. Their community practice number is 466-3056. If it is after hours there will be a message with the number of the person on call.  Have the following information available if possible:

Exact name of the plant or poison.
How much the animal ate or came in contact with.
How long ago exposure or ingestion occurred.
The animal’s vital signs (temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, capillary refill time, and mucous membrane color.
The animal’s weight.

Specific home therapy is based on ridding the pets’ body of the toxin.
Topical poisons: Wash the animal with large volumes of water. If your pet is having a reaction to a flea product a mild hand soap or shampoo can be used. If an oil-based toxin (such as petroleum products), use dishwashing liquids. If the poison is in the eye, flush with large volumes of water. If the poison is a powder, you need to dust or vacuum it off.
Inhaled poisons
Take the animal to fresh air as fast as possible.
Ingested Poisons: It may or may not be ok to induce vomiting, always check with your veterinarian or the National Animal Poison Control Center first. With some caustic substances it may be appropriate to administer milk, but this needs to be decided on a case to case basis. Do not induce vomiting in the following circumstances.

The animal is having difficulty breathing
The animal is seizuring, depressed or abnormally excited.
The animal is unconscious.
The toxin is a caustic like drain opener, an acid (battery) or a petroleum-based product.
The heart rate is very slow.  Cat Normal Rate = 160-220 beats/minute  Dog Normal Rate =  Small less than 30 lbs. 100-160 bpm   Medium to large. 60-100 bpm   Puppy 120-160 bpm
The object eaten was pointed or sharp.
When the poison container says not to.

How to induce vomiting: Give household hydrogen peroxide 3% orally at a dose of one teaspoon (5ml) per 10 pounds (5kg) of body weight. This may be repeated every 15 to 20 minutes up to three times. No peroxide? Place 1 teaspoon of table salt into the animals’ mouth.
Always save the vomitus to show your veterinarian.
Warning! Never use Ipecac syrup which may be toxic to dogs and cats.

Some plants that are poisonous to pets…

Aloe Vera (Medicine Plant)
Amaryllis
Andromeda japonica
Apple (Seeds)
Apple Leaf Croton
Asparagus Fern
Autumn Crocus
Avocado (fruit & pit)
Azalea
Baby’s Breath
Bird of Paradise
Birdsnest sansovioria
Bittersweet
Branching Ivy
Buckeye
Buddhist Pine
Caladium
Calla Lily
Carnation
Castor Bean
Ceriman
Cherry (seeds & wilting leaves)
Chinaberry Tree (berries, bark, leaves, flowers)
Chinese Evergreen
Christmas Cactus
Christmas Rose
Chrysanthemum
Cineraria
Clematus
Coleus
Cordatum
Corn Plant
Cornstalk Plant
Croton
Cuban Laurel
Cycads
Cyclamen
Daffodil
Daisy
Day Lily (cats)
Dracaena
Dragon Tree
Dumb Cane (all types)
Dieffenbachia
Easter Lily (especially cats)
Elaine
Elephant Ears
Emerald Feather
English Ivy
Fiddle-leaf Fig
Flamingo Plant
Florida Beauty
Foxglove
Geranium
German Ivy
Glacier Ivy
Glory Lily
Golden Pothos
Hahn’s Self-Branching
Heavenly Bamboo
Hibiscus
Holly
Hosta
Hurricane Plant
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Indian Laurel
Indian Rubber Plant
Iris
Japanese Show Lily (sepecially cats)
Jade Plant
Jerusalem Cherry
Kalanchoe (Panda Bear Plant)
Lily of the Valley
Macadamia Nut
Madagascar Dragon Tree
Marble Queen
Marijuana
Minature Croton
Mistletoe
Morning Glory
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
Narcissus
Needlepoint Ivy
Nephthytis
Nightshade
Norfolk Pine
Oleander
Onion
Oriental Lily (especially cats)
Peace Lily
Peach (wilting leaves & pits)
Pencil Cactus
Philodendron (all types)
Plum (wilting leaves and seeds)
Plumosa Fern
Poinsetta (low toxicity)
Poison Ivy
Poison Oak
Pothos
Precatory Bean
Primrose (Primula)
Red Emerald
Red Princess
Rhododendron
Ribbon Plant
Sago Palm
Satin Pothos
Schefflera
Silver Pothos
String of Pearls/Beads
Sweetheart Ivy
Swiss Cheese Plant
Taro Vine
Tiger Lily (especially cats)
Tomato Plant (green fruit, stem & leaves)
Tulip
Varigated Rubber Plant
Wandering Jew
Weeping Fig
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Yew
Yucca
This list only represents the more common toxic plants.  For a more complete list you may contact the National Animal Poison Control Center at
1-800-548-2423 or 1-900-680-0000

Always assume a plant can be harmful unless you know that it isn’t.

Preparing for your animals before a disaster

admin — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:26:37 +0000

All pet owners should have a kit for their pets, which should include:

Supply of food for 7 days in an airtight, water proof container
Drinking water
Bowls for food and water
Vaccination records and physical description for each pet
For dogs include–leash, collar and a sturdy carrier
For cats include–litter and litter box and a sturdy carrier

It is also recommended that you:

Keep your animals with you; if you must leave an animal outside, do not leave him tethered.
Place the pet emergency supply kit by the door so it is ready to go if you need to evacuate quickly
Make sure your pet has visible identification on right now
Talk with a trusted neighbor who can care for your pets if you are away

Owners of livestock animals including goats, cows, chickens and pigs should remember:

Livestock especially goats should not be tied during storms as it prevents them from seeking shelter from high water and blowing debris.
Ensure that poultry have access to high areas in which to perch, if they are in a flood-prone area, as well as to food and clean water.
Remove all barbed wire, and consider rerouting permanent fencing so that animals may move to high ground in a flood and to low-lying areas during high winds.
Obtain enough large containers to water your animals for at least a week as water supplies are often contaminated during a disaster.
Secure or remove anything that could become blowing debris, if you have boats, feed troughs, or other large containers, fill them with water before the hurricane. This prevents them from blowing around and also gives you an additional supply of water.
The leading causes of death of large animals in hurricanes and similar events are collapsed barns, dehydration, electrocution, and accidents resulting from fencing failure. If you own farm animals, you should take precautions to protect them from these hazards.

Donkeys in Nevis

admin — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:23:22 +0000

Donkey Sanctuary in Nevis?

We would like the government to donate appropriate land for a donkey sanctuary and plan to approach them concerning this. We were extremely grateful to receive our first donation toward a donkey sanctuary.

Problems of free roaming Donkeys.
a. Damage to farmer’s vegetable gardens, individual’s personal gardens, Four Seasons golf course and the gardens of various inns on the island.
b. Possible injury to passengers in vehicles and vehicle damage-as donkeys are active at night.
Donkeys are part of the cultural heritage of Nevis and have served as transportation and for hauling a farmer’s crops for a very long time.

The automobile has replaced the need for donkeys in the last ten years, and many have been left abandoned. They fall victim to fighting dogs and are often hit by vehicles. Many have been sold to the Vet School in St Kitts to be used as operating specimens.

Tourists, naturally attracted to them are concerned about their poor treatment and lack of care.

SOLUTIONS

Providing a use for the donkeys:
Developing a sanctuary where they can be come a tourist attraction as they have elsewhere [in Bonaire for example]

This could provide not only a tourist attraction but also additional jobs for Nevisians, i.e. Taxi drivers, and future caretakers for the animals.
The manure could be offered or sold to the farmers as fertilizer. The population would be controlled by neutering the male donkeys.
The herd would be contained eliminating damage done to crops and eliminate auto accidents caused by them on the roads.

MEANS:
1.Involving the Government, commercial establishments and the community, solving the problem in a humane manner.
2. Involving the Nevis Humane Society, which just received its first large donation for a donkey sanctuary earmarked to help provide funds in its establishment under the Humane Society
3.Involving the Donkey Sanctuary in Bonaire and England to provide knowledge, and guidance.. They will help with funding once the government has set aside land.

We have approached and visited the largest Donkey Sanctuary in the world located in the UK AND WERE EXTREMELY IMPRESSED WITH THE AMAZING AMOUNT OF VISITORS THEY ATTRACTED. THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR A TOURIST ATTRACTION IN NEVIS.

We have talked to hotels, Inns and people in the community on the island and they are very interested.

The government seems to be making some moves towards promoting the island for eco-tourism. Tourism is the main income for the island and the overall make up of the island lends itself to ecotourism. While government’s purse strings are pulled in many directions, it has land, which they could donate for such a program. Funding would be needed for fencing, staff to care for them, etc. Many of the tourists, and expat community are on this island because it is not largely developed and because they love nature and animals.

Anyone interested in this project please email brbpip@aol.com or contact our Society/ or give a donation to the Nevis Humane Society with notation that it is to be applied to the Donkey Sanctuary on Nevis

UPDATE: St. Kitts baby monkey

admin — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:10:29 +0000

We recently returned from a vacation to St. Kitts. We were excited to visit, partly because it’s advertised as animal- and earth-friendly. Like many visitors, we were in awe of the natural beauty, the culture and the warm, friendly people we met. But one thing marred the great beauty of the island and the memories of our experience: on a Southeast Peninsula beach, we witnessed a baby Vervet monkey on a heavy chain with an iron clamp around its waist being dragged around by a local man. The man tossed the baby monkey into a strange troop of monkeys and it endured a vicious attack. When some caring people heard the monkeys screaming, they stepped in to stop the attack.

With the scientific evidence linking cruelty to animals to other crime and cruelty towards human beings, no one can afford to tolerate such practices. We reported the cruel attack on the baby monkey to local police, and consulted with a local vet as well. We are hopeful that the culprit can be found and the baby placed with a caring wildlife rehabilitator for recovery. Anyone who witnessed the event or has seen this chained monkey can help by notifying local authorities, or contact us directly.

We encourage tourists to avoid facilities and vendors who engage in cruel practices and all who witness animal suffering to report it to the local police. With so much to offer, the community cannot afford to let animal cruelty be the memory that visitors take home.

Scott and Gayle Carda
1-503-312-5357
scottgaylec@msn.com

Help for baby monkey in St. Kitts

admin — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:57:35 +0000

Dear Nevis Humane Society: We just returned from a trip to St. Kitts and need some help with an animal situation there. We were not aware of your organization until now, and the Best Friends Animal Society kindly referred us to you.

Is there anyone who is, or knows of, a very responsible and kind person who would be willing and capable of adopting a baby Green Vervet Monkey on St. Kitts or Nevis? We just returned from visiting St. Kitts, but we had witnessed a horrible crime of animal cruelty against this baby monkey while there. A local man had captured the baby and put an iron clamp around its waist and was dragging it around on an iron chain. Then he chained it up and left it among a different troop of monkeys, who proceeded to attack it. Of course, if you bring an outsider monkey into another troop, it will be attacked. The baby monkey could not get away because it was chained, and would surely have been killed. But a kind local business owner helped us stop the attack. We are working with veterinarian Dr. Tracy Challenger and the St. Kitts Police to try to find the person who committed this crime and to rescue the monkey. So far no luck. Also, a big problem is that St. Kitts has no facilities to care for the monkey if they are able to rescue it. This fact is quite shocking considering that there is the Ross Veterinary University on the island - but Ross has refused to talk with us. So unless we can find someone who could adopt this baby monkey and care for it responsibly and with kindness, it will likely be released into the wild. Because the criminal took the baby from its mother and its troop, if it is now released into the wild it will surely die. However, it will also surely die if it stays with the criminal.

The best home would be someone with experience caring for monkeys or other rescued animals on the island. If you have any ideas on a good loving home and sanctuary for this baby monkey if we can rescue it, or who would otherwise be willing to help us locally with our rescue effort, please reply back as soon as possible - time is critical to save this beautiful creature.

Gayle and Scott Carda