Summer is parasite season and time to get serious about preventing your pet from getting internal and external parasites. In Arkansas you should be giving a heartworm preventative year round to your dog and cat. Our winters are often mild, and certainly unpredictable, therefore the chance of live, active mosquitoes exists year round in our part of the country. Generally ticks are a problem year round as well due to the tick’s hardy nature. However, since fleas require a warmer and more humid environment to survive, protection from fleas from April through November is often all that is needed. There are many products to choose from and the choice largely depends on your pet’s lifestyle and where you live. Please feel free to consult with one of our staff members about what is appropriate for your pet. We can help you decide what protection your pet needs.
Remember that heartworm preventatives such as Interceptor, Revolution, ProHeart and Heartgard also prevent some intestinal worms, so year round worm protection is provided by your heartworm preventative. However not all products protect against all worms, so again we can help you decide what is best depending on your pet’s lifestyle.
Have a safe, fun and bug-free summer!
SEASONAL SUBJECTS
Water Safety Tips
1. Never force your dog into water against its will. Not all dogs like to swim!
2. Use a dog flotation device. There are many kinds from which to choose. They are designed to hold your dog horizontally. Also it should be able to be used as a retrieval system if your dog needs to be pulled from the water.
3. Check current, tide and temperature. If conditions are unsafe for human swimming, they are certainly unsafe for your dog.
4. Never let your dog swim unsupervised. It is easy for them to get caught on something underwater or pulled down in an undertow.
5. Make sure your dog takes breaks and does not get overtired. Exhaustion can occur in any dog and frequent rests are important.
6. Make sure your dog is trained to come on command reliably. This simple word can easily save his life.
7. As with any new situation, introduce your dog slowly to boats and boating. Some dogs enjoy a ride in the boat. Always use flotation devices for dogs on boats. There are many tragic tales of dogs overboard!
8. If you have a swimming pool, make sure the fence around the pool keeps your dog out if you are not there to supervise. Teach your dog where the steps are. Never let your dog near the pool if it is covered for heat retention or winter protection.
9. Dogs that swim a lot should have increased ear maintenance to prevent ear infections from moisture. Dogs can sunburn so attention must be paid to the lightly pigmented areas on your dog. Also make sure that your dogs coat doesn’t dry out from swimming too much.
West Hollywood, California, a city of 3,500 passed a law banning the declawing of cats as of May 21st, 2003. The California Veterinary Medical Association opposed the bill, saying it could prompt some owners to abandon their pets. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals does not advocate declawing cats but the group does accept it as a means to keep cats in homes instead of shelters.
West Hollywood had already passed a law designating its residents as pet guardians rather than pet owners. They join a growing list of cities (six) and even one state (Rhode Island) to change the wording of ‘owners’. Advocates of the pet guardian term say the designation promotes greater responsibility and respect for pets without granting them additional protections or changing their legal status.
Declawing cats is certainly controversial and a matter of differing opinion. There are certainly alternatives available to declawing including training the cat to use a scratching post and gluing rubber caps over the claws. The doctors at New Hope Animal Hospital would be happy to discuss the declaw procedure with you, and it’s advantages and disadvantages.
PREVENT DOG BITES!
National Dog Bite Prevention Week was May 18th through the 24th. The American Veterinary Medical Association teamed up with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to promote responsible dog ownership. Each year nearly 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs. As many as 800,000 people, more than half of them children, require medical attention for dog bites annually, and about a dozen people die each year of dog bite injuries. While the nearly 61 million dogs in the United States provide service and companionship these statistics emphasize the importance of responsible dog ownership and socializing your dog. Remember dogs that are spayed or neutered are less likely to bite! Committed to education the public about this important health issue, the AVMA and ASPS also have educational resources available on their Web sites, www.avma.org and www.plasticsurgery.org.
Lynn Life, DVM, a 2003 Louisiana State College of Veterinary Medicine graduate and Northwest Arkansas native, will begin as a full time associate on June 2nd. Some of our clients got to meet her when she completed her preceptorship at our hospital in February. She is full of fresh knowledge and skill. We are truly looking forward to her dedication and enthusiasm.
Our fourth annual Open House on May 18th was an enormous success. Our distributors and vendors were generous with their products and support, and we were able to have more door prizes and goody bags than ever! The staff did a great job educating the clients with their ‘Circle of Life’ displays. A special thanks to Pet Partners, Morningstar Wildlife Rehabilitation, and the Canine College for their displays and demonstrations! We were also able to combine this event with our Relay for Life team fund raising activities (more below).
We would like to invite you all to the Relay for Life June 13th at the Rogers High School field just off Olrich Street. The Relay for Life is the signature activity for the American Cancer Society, and it is the largest community fund raiser in the world. Teams are organized that participate in various fundraising events prior to and on the night of the actual relay. This year New Hope Animal Hospital and New Hope Boarding and Grooming have a team participating in the fundraising efforts. Our team has as its theme “Paws for a Cure” and our fundraising events have included selling homemade dog and cat treats at our front desk and selling stars to put on our front door in honor or memory of someone that has struggled with cancer. Research is essential to find better treatments and the cure for cancer. Funding for this research is primarily through private donation and each homemade treat will make a difference in our battle against cancer.
The Relay for Life is open to the public. Opening ceremonies will be at 7 p.m. Friday and include a survivor’s victory lap. Each team will have fund raising activities on site…we are planning a petting zoo with ponies, goats, puppies and other animals! Bands will be playing. Other teams plan on having food and rides available. Team members will be walking in relay until 6 a.m. Saturday morning. This is to signify that cancer never sleeps and the fight against cancer must not either.
Luminaria are available either on site or at our office. Luminaria are candles placed in paper bags that are placed around the track at the Relay for Life. Each luminaria is lit in honor or in memory of someone who has faced cancer. The candles remain lit throughout the night, providing motivation for walkers as they pass by and see the names of these special individuals. The cost of a luminaria is $5.00 and all proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.
Congratulations to Derek Randle and ‘Stella’ who placed first in the ESPN Super Retriever Series at Oak Ridge Kennels in Northfield, Minnesota. Another team, Keith Allison and ‘Abby’ finished fifth in this event. This is an international competition, and the fact that two of our local dogs and their handlers finished so high in such a huge event is awesome. Thanks for making us all proud!
Fear of thunder and other loud noises is a common problem with dogs. Sometimes dogs demonstrate fear at an early age while others develop a fear later in life. These phobias can cause enormous stress for the owner and pet. They can also lead to destructive behavior as the dog tries to flee from the noise.
Some dogs have a genetic predisposition to the tendency toward anxiety and fear. Early social experiences during the critical socialization period may influence the level of fear. Lastly, fear can start after a particularly loud incident when the fear expressed was unintentionally reinforced.
Owner response to fear (shaking, hiding, whining) should be neutral. Owners should never excessively comfort or ‘baby’ the dog. This response rewards the dog for its behavior. Neither should they punish it. Instead, calmly telling the dog it will be okay and simply reassuring them in a neutral tone is all that should be done. Redirect the dog’s fear into a positive distraction such as playing fetch or reviewing basic obedience commands.
Desensitizing your dog to loud noises is possible. Audio tapes are available of thunderstorms and these can be played routinely at a low volume. Positively reinforce your dog with treats or praise when he does not demonstrate fear at low volumes. GRADUALLY (over a period of weeks or even months) increase the volume on the tape maintaining a positive experience as it gets louder. Go slowly and give lots of positive reinforcement for remaining calm.
Medications are available that will help calm your pets. The most frequently prescribed medications are tranquilizers. The disadvantages of this is that they must be given well before the storm or loud noise begins and the effects of the medication often lasts much longer than the storm or loud noise. Tranquilizers must be used with care in elderly or debilitated patients. In addition, there are homeopathic mixtures for stress and anxiety that we carry at our hospital, which have benefited many animals. These are best given on a regular basis but some owners have reported good results when used in short term situations. Please speak with one of our doctors if your pet is noise phobic and needs help.
NEW HOPE BOARDING AND GROOMING NEWS
Classes for puppies begin again on July 7th. Socialization and basic manners are so important to the mental health of your dog. We encourage all dog owners to attend classes with their dog. You will have fun and so will your dog! And your dog will bring you more joy as a polite, mannered companion. Call us at 936-8044 to sign up for the classes starting in July.
Just a reminder to make reservations for boarding as soon as possible especially during the summer and on holidays. Because of our excellent care and facility, we do run out of space…so as soon as you firm up your vacation or holiday dates, call for your pet’s boarding reservation.
See you at the Relay for Life on June 13th!
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