Summer can be a great time for animal lovers. While our furry friends can (and do) have babies at any time, spring is still a peak season for births. Having a bunch of young animals around is always lots of fun. However, you will need to take precautions to keep the little ones safe. A Westminster, MD vet offers some advice on this below.
Monitor Temperatures
Young animals are extremely susceptible to heat waves. Whenever temperatures rise, you’ll need to pay extra attention to your new arrivals. While every animal has different red flags, there are some common ones to watch for. These include listlessness, lethargy, trembling, and panting. Check your furry wards several times a day. Contact your vet immediately if you notice any of these.
Start Preventative Care
Getting your little buddy started out on their vaccines and parasite control is very important. Since it may take a few rounds of boosters for young animals to have full protection from parasites and diseases, they can be very susceptible to disease and parasites at this stage. Ask your vet for specific advice.
Encourage (Safe) Socialization
Baby animals learn a lot in those first few months, both from you and from their four-legged roommates. With farm animals, like foals, kids, and calves, take time to make friends with them, and get them used to being petted, handled, haltered, and, of course, given treats. Just don’t get between an animal and its momma. That could upset both of them, which would definitely throw a wrench in the socialization process.
Provide Shade/Shelter
This one applies to all animals! Make sure your four-legged pals always have access to cool, shady areas. If your pasture is wide-open, erect a three-sided shed. Ventilation is also important.
Water
At this time of year, buckets and troughs can get drained, dirtied, or filled with insects pretty quickly, so you may need to refill a bit more. With smaller animals, you may need to have bowls or buckets low enough to where they can reach it without the larger animals tripping.
Watch For Predators
With smaller animals, predatory threats often comes from above, in the form of hawks and eagles. If you have poultry, then foxes, weasels, and racoons are likely an ongoing threat. Stay vigilant!
Do you have questions about caring for young animals? Contact us, your Westminster, MD animal clinic, today!
