APRIL SPOTLIGHT: CARE AND PROTECTION OF ANIMALS

APRIL IS DESIGNATED AS THE MONTH TO SPOTLIGHT SEVERAL DIFFERENT ISSUES INVOLVING THE CARE AND PROTECTION OF ANIMALS. WE ALSO RECOMMEND OWNERS TO START FLEA & TICK PREVENTATIVES DURING THE MONTH.

STREAMLINING PERSONAL BUDGETS IN TODAY'S ECONOMY IS SOMETHING ALL OF US CAN IDENTIFY WITH, AND YOU MAY BE CONSIDERING CUTTING BACK ON YOUR PET'S HEARTWORM AND FLEA PREVENTATIVES. THESE PREVENTATIVES ARE COST-EFFECTIVE RATHER THAN DEALING WITH HEARTWORM DISEASE, BATTLING A FLEA INFESTATION OR TREATING FOR FLEA AND TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES.

HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVES SHOULD BE GIVEN MONTHLY YEAR-ROUND (YES, THERE ARE MOSQUITOES IN THE WINTER). THE TREATMENT FOR HEARTWORM DISEASE IS PAINFUL, EXPENSIVE AND THE OUTCOME IS UNPREDICTABLE. THE COST OF TREATING YOUR LABRADOR MAY COST HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS WHILE A PREVENTATIVE COSTS ABOUT $.18 A DAY.

WARMER WEATHER IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING AND THE FLEAS AND TICKS WILL SOON BE MAKING THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN. RIDDING YOUR HOME OF THESE PESTS TAKES DEDICATION, HARD WORK AND MONEY, NOT TO MENTION IT IS EXTREMELY AGGRAVATING! NOT ONLY FAMILY PETS CAN GET TAPEWORMS FROM FLEAS, SOME MAY BE ALLERGIC TO FLEA BITES, AND CONSEQUENTLY SUFFER WITH FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS (FAD). TICK-BORNE DISEASES INCLUDE LYME DISEASE AND EHRILICHIOSIS. TO PROTECT THE SAME LABRADOR FROM FLEAS AND TICKS COSTS ABOUT $.48 A DAY. ALL ANIMALS IN THE-HOME SHOULD BE TREATED WITH A PREVENTATIVE. FLEAS AND TICKS CAN HITCH A RIDE INSIDE ON YOU OR OTHER PETS.

WE ARE HAPPY TO SELL YOU ANY AMOUNT OF PREVENTATIVES -WHETHER IT IS A ONE MONTH, A THREE MONTH OR A TWELVE MONTH SUPPLY.

FACT OR FICTION

1. ONLY DOGS GET HEARTWORM DISEASE.

       

FICTION. HEARTWORM DISEASE CAN AFFECT BOTH DOGS AND CATS. THE DISEASE IS HARD TO DIAGNOSE IN CATS.

2. HEARTWORM DISEASE IS SPREAD BY INFECTED STOOL.

FICTION. HEARTWORMS ARE BLOOD PARASITES THAT ARE TRANSFERRED TO DOGS AND CATS BY INFECTED MOSQUITOES.

3. HEARTWORMS LIVE IN THE LIVER.

FICTON. HEARTWORMS LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF DOGS AND IN THE LUNGS OF CATS.

4. 4.COUGHING, DIFFICULTY BREATHING AND EXERCISE INTOLERANCE CAN INDICATE HEARTWORM DISEASE IN DOGS.
   

FACT. OTHER SYMPTOMS ARE HEART FAILURE, RAPID HEART RATE, BLINDNESS AND COLLAPSE. FELINE SYMPTOMS RESEMBLE A RESPIRATORY INFECTION OR ASTHMA.

5. 5.A FEMALE FLEA CAN LAY 50 EGGS A DAY.
   

FACT. THE EGGS FALL FROM THE FEMALE ONTO CARPETING, BEDDING, BETWEEN FLOORBOARDS AND IN 21 DAYS WILL HATCH AND JUMP ONTO ANY AVAILABLE ANIMAL.

6. 6.IT IS SAFE TO APPLY "DOG" FRONTLINE ON A CAT.
   

FICTION. APPLYING THE WRONG FORMULA ON A CAT CAUSES A TOXIC REACTION AND IS POTENTIALLY FATAL.