SCAA Pet Care Tips for New Shanghai Residents

The following article was published in the September 2009 edition of The Courier, the magazine of The Shanghai Expatriate Association. For more information on the SEA, visit www.seashanghai.org


By Carol Wolfson and Lee-Anne Armstrong

Whether you have just arrived in Shanghai with a four-legged family member in tow or are planning on adopting a pet in Shanghai, finding reliable care, identifying the relevant rules, and recognizing the particular dangers Shanghai pets face can be a daunting challenge.

SCAA hopes the following pet care tips help your pet stay healthy, happy, and safe during your time here.

Pets like SCAA’s Floyd can relax with quality care

Pet Care

In Shanghai, providing international-standard care for any member of your family, including pets, requires time, effort, and money. Knowing how to spot reliable resources provides peace of mind.

Veterinary care

The hallmarks of international-standard vet care are universal. In Shanghai, look for clinics that:

• Have veterinarians with international-standard training and qualifications (including BVSc, DVM, BVetMed, BVMs) and who belong to established veterinary medical associations.
• Use properly stored, imported medicines.
• Do not sell animals (this can be a cruel, profiteering practice).
  

Boarding & pet sitters

• There are limited, reliable options for boarding your pet and these places fill up very quickly ahead of Western and Chinese holidays (e.g. Christmas, summer vacation, Chinese New Year and the October National Day holidays). Booking weeks and even months in advance may be necessary.
• Pet shops do not have adequate disease-prevention protocols.
  Reputable kennels require dogs have a Kennel Cough vaccination ahead of boarding.
• If you leave your pet in the care of a housekeeper (ayi), ensure she knows your pet care regimen and how to reach you and your vet if needed.
  

Grooming

• Be vigilant about the chemicals and treatments used on your pet. If you don’t recognize a safe brand or product, look elsewhere. You can find them here.
• Beware of groomers who pressure you into overly-frequent visits. Frequent washing (vs simple rinsing with water only) can strip your pet of the natural oils on their skin that protect them from skin irritations and other problems.
• Always accompany your pet to the groomers. Pick-up and delivery services may seem convenient, but it is not uncommon for dogs to run off and be lost due to handling by inexperienced staff.
  

Food and supplements

• Food safety is a hot topic. Many international-brand pet foods and treats are available at supermarkets and vet clinics in Shanghai. Some higher-end brands of food may only be licensed for sale in veterinary clinics. Check with your veterinarian and avoid unlicensed shops offering such products.

Common Medical Issues for Both Dogs and Cats

If your pet shows signs of illness, such as loss of appetite, lethargy, and frequent vomiting, see your veterinarian immediately. Treatment for various illnesses and injuries can take days or weeks, but some medicines and surgeries are not available in Shanghai.

Some common medical issues for monitoring, prevention, and treatment include:

• Parasites: including fleas, ticks, mosquitoes that carry heartworm disease, and intestinal worms. Prevention and treatment is both safe and effective with medicines such as Frontline and Revolution. These are available at reputable veterinary clinics.
• Upper respiratory diseases: including bacterial and contagious viral diseases.
• Fungal skin diseases: ringworm is a common fungus found in gardens and high traffic areas. It can be passed between people and pets and more often affects younger pets due to their underdeveloped immune systems.
• Allergies: including swelling from insect bites, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties.
  

Common diseases predominantly in dogs:

• Distemper Virus is a fatal disease and is prevalent in Shanghai, especially among puppies. It is highly contagious and spreads via bodily fluids. Common signs include coughing, sneezing, vomiting and/or diarrhea. The mortality rate is estimated at 50 percent or higher. It is usually prevented by an effective vaccination schedule beginning at six (6) weeks of age.
• Parvovirus is another prevalent and highly contagious viral disease, again mostly affecting puppies. Symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting. In its early stages, it can resemble less serious problems such as worms. However, it typically progresses quickly, resulting in life-threatening dehydration and secondary bacterial infections. It can stay in the environment for a long time, so prevention is the only way forward.

Vaccinations

Puppies and kittens need a series of two vaccinations, the first at nine weeks and the second four or five weeks later. Booster vaccinations are given yearly.

Recommended vaccines for both cats and dogs include rabies and for dogs: Distemper, Parvo, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza and, when boarding, Kennel Cough. For cats: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia.

Important Tips for Dog Owners

China’s canines live in challenging times as authorities adopt increasingly strict measures to address community fears of disease or attacks from a growing dog population.

You may find many local residents are afraid of even the smallest and most docile dogs. Protect your dog by following the laws and regulations at all times.

Bitsy: long-time foster dog now happily adopted

• Licensing your dog: dogs (but not cats) must be registered with your local police station. If your compound management does not assist with this process, you must do this ASAP. At a minimum, you will need copies of your passport, residence permit, work permit, lease, as well as a 1-inch color photo of you and a 3-inch color photo (full body profile) of your dog. You also need your management’s and possibly your neighbors’ consent. A dog license is RMB2000 a year within the ring road and RMB1000 a year in suburban areas.
• Leashing (and possibly muzzling) your dog: regardless of whether other pet owners allow their dogs off-leash, the law requires dogs to be on-leash when walking and in public areas where dogs are permitted. Authorities can seize dogs (including licensed ones) that are off leash. Muzzles may be required in your compound and if not, it’s best to exercise caution if your dog is easily frightened by strangers.
• Walking your dog: although not strictly enforced, following rules on walking dogs either early in the morning (e.g. 7:00 AM) or in the evening (e.g. after 7:00PM), is highly recommended. Avoid peak times and always carry your license with you. Ensure your housekeeper (ayi) does this too.

Disregarding the law has horrific consequences – your dog can be seized and destroyed. There is no “dog pound” in Shanghai and you may never see your dog again.

Important Tips for Cat Owners

• Trapping cats for the food and fur industries: Cats (strays and pets alike) are trapped and shipped to southern China for their meat and fur. Keeping your cat safely indoors is a must.
• Indoor cats are also protected from diseases like FIV (Feline Aids) spread though cat bite wounds.
• The great indoors: fly screens can be easily arranged to protect your cat from fatal falls. SCAA kitten Cricket safe and snug in her foster home
  

Adopting a Pet

If you are considering getting a pet in Shanghai, please do not buy from pet markets, shops, or breeder as many of these animals have been raised on cruel puppy and kitten farms, are injected with antibiotics to mask how sick they are on purchase, and they often die soon after.

If you would like to give a healthy and social dog or cat a permanent home, or to foster an animal temporarily while in Shanghai, please visit the SCAA website for more details.

When You Leave – Pet Export

It may seem premature to think about leaving Shanghai with your pet when you’ve only just arrived! However, depending on your destination country, it can take anywhere from 30 days to six months to move your cat or dog (note: birds and small animals such as guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, and ferrets cannot be exported). There are strict export requirements from China and some destinations impose specific pre-departure (e.g. blood tests) and arrival (e.g. quarantine) measures. Some places (such as Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan) prohibit the direct transport of animals from China. To find out more, visit the SCAA website.

Carol Wolfson is the Founder of SCAA and Lee-Anne Armstrong is the SCAA Animal Operations & Foster Care Director. SCAA is a private, non-profit organization committed to protecting and improving the health and welfare of companion animals through education, health care, advocacy, outreach, adoption and the promotion of foster care as an alternative approach to traditional shelters. We believe it is the right of every companion animal to have a safe, healthy life in a loving home.

Visit us on the web at www.scaashanghai.org, on our facebook page, or in person at Adoption Days or other social events.

* Medical information in this article was generously provided by SCAA’s vet partner, PAW (Pets are Wonderful) Veterinary Clinic. See http://www.scaashanghai.org/veterinarian_services.shtml for details.

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