Cape Breton flood takes its toll on pets
Dogs and cats are developing anxiety, some are falling ill due to contamination
While people continue to deal with the aftermath of flooding in Cape Breton, pets are facing hardships of their own and some are even falling ill from contamination.
Many people were driven from their homes during the torrential rainfall on Thanksgiving Day, and along with them as many as 1,100 pets.
Joey the cat was one of them.
He lives just a block down from the area hardest hit by the flood. His owner, Lucy Wintermans, initially kept him inside but relented and let him out a few days later when the floodwaters had receded.
He returned covered in oil.
"I wasn't really thinking clearly that there would be so many places with water on the ground and oil spilled and that and so I regret letting him out," said Wintermans.
She washed Joey seven times and because he seemed to be feeling poorly, she took him to the vet, but it didn't help.
"He started walking in circles. He wasn't himself. He seemed like he was in pain," Wintermans said. "He didn't like to be touched and usually, he's a really affectionate cat."
Joey went back to the vet where he received an IV overnight.
"He is doing better; he's eating again and the smell of the oil is gone," said Wintermans. "But now his skin is peeling off and he's just not very happy."
'Just terrified'
Roberta Lynch lives a few blocks away from Wintermans.
She has a dog and two cats and "they were just terrified," she said.
"They were showing signs of anxiety. My cat wouldn't leave me alone. My dog wouldn't leave me alone. My other cat was so anxious. He began to be sick," said Lynch.
Veterinarian Charlotte Ramey said since the flood, her practice has treated many cases of diarrhea due to contamination from sewer backups.
She suggests pet owners keep dogs from drinking out of puddles while on walks and keep a closer eye on outdoor cats.
Deworming your pet — even if it's not showing symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea — is also important.
Areas of Sydney that never before had high levels of certain canine or feline diseases may experience them now, carried in by floodwaters, Ramey said.