Tick Season!

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Most people don't know that tick season can be at different times of the year depending where you live. Because some of us travel to several areas on a regular basis dragging our beloved pets with us, it is important to protect the pets from ticks. Not everyone thinks it is a good idea to use a preventive on cats and dogs as they are concerned about the side-effects and what will happen years from now because you protected you pet.

Ask your veterinarian about the products on the market now if you are not sure. Some pet insurance may help pay for these items. One vet in a state I spend a lot of time in promotes one product, while a vet in another area sells something else. Everyone has to choose what will work for them. If you are in an area such as Dixie County in Florida where there is a lot of tall grass, and it seems it is always hunting season, you will be able to find some kind of tick year round.

Colder climates seem to be spared at times. The woods of North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Europe, etc. will have ticks on a regular basis. If you live in the woods and have pets, protect them! Grooming on a regular basis is important. We have had to remove ticks when we least expected a dog had one. In addition to professional grooming pets need to be brushed daily. If you don't think it is important for your pet, think about yourself. If you dog or cat has ticks (or fleas) you will too!

If you have a pet you think has been bitten by a tick, and the pet seems ill, get it to the veterinarian. What would you look for? I could list a host of things, but to keep it simple-if a pet suddenly seems tired, doesn't eat, isn't urinating, or doesn't play with a favorite toy, you should suspect something is wrong. Pets can't tell you what they feel, but don't wait more than a day if something does not seem right. I don't like paying vet bills either (another reason to have pet insurance?) but I am not the expert when it comes to such things, so I do go when it is this important.



All photos on this blog  belong to Pat Anthony.


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Training older dogs.

What do you do when you have to train an adult dog? Many people think if you do not get a dog trained when it is a puppy, it will never be trained. Others disagree, feeling you really can train an old dog new tricks.

If you have ever had to do this, we would love to hear your method. We have done this and found we were following the same steps as we did with a puppy. Why would we do anything different?

Being sure a dog is house broken, or able to alert you to the fact it needs to go outside to potty, is a big step. Some breeds are more stubborn than others, but it can be done. You will need to have patience.

If you have an older dog that has suddenly been breaking the house rules, there may be a medical issue, and a veterinarian may need to be consulted. This may be a time when you should have pet insurance! If there is a medical issue it can get expensive.

If the dog is really resistant to outdoor training, you may have to start with a training pad. Many dogs will cooperate with these potty pads, and eventually be able to be fully trained outside.

Keep your dog well groomed and it's sleeping area clean. Always be sure it has clean water and fresh food!



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Dogs and cats everywhere-how many are too many?

Dogs and cats deserve to have a living arrangement that is not harmful to them. Most people who are pet owners care for their cats and dogs in a way that will keep them healthy.

When dogs or cats are living in a home that has dozens of other animals, is the pet safe? Is the dog or cat even a pet at that point?

Some animal owners feel they are doing a service by taking in more animals than most would think is normal. Who should decide when dogs and cats are at risk? How do we determine when a neighborhood is overloaded with pets?

In some municipalities, there is a limit of one or two pets per home. By requiring each animal be licensed, a community will find it easy to determine who has too many animals according to the limits. What is done about a situation where someone owns more animals then the limit allows?

Every community is different. Because of the concern that animals must be cared for, some towns may look the other way unless someone complains. What, then, of the pets who are living in cramped and dirty spaces, and perhaps not receiving correct veterinarian attention? At what point should someone report what seems to be a bad situation? The animals are then removed to a pet rescue or animal shelter. What is next for the former pets, who are now up for grabs? Most would like to tell themselves that someone would open their home and provide space for these cats or dogs.

People who take too many animals don't usually have the intention of foolishly breeding pets for money. It turns out it is often a case of attempting to house the unwanted dogs and cats.

Is there an answer to this problem? If there is, I have not heard it expressed.


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