When it's finally time to get outdoors, it's also the time to protect your pets against fleas and ticks!

Protect your pets with waterproof topical treatment of flea and tick medication every month.

Fleas do not live on your pet, they only feed on them. This may cause skin problems.

Frequent brushing provides early warning of parasites & skin infections by lifting the coat, permitting a view of the skin below. When treating fleas you must treat the entire environment.

Vacuuming carpets & washing hardwood floors - often daily during the height of the flea season - will also help in the prevention of these little pests.

While treating your yard and home please be sure to use natural products so as not to harm your pet - or - if you must use chemicals, make sure that the pets do not come in contact with the chemicals at all.

If your pet should come in contact with any chemicals, wash their feet, abdomen & chest thoroughly, then contact your veterinarian.


Flowers & Plants

Spring has sprung and so have the flowers and plants that can harm your pets!

Here is a list of some common flowers/plants that are harmful to you pets - please check before you plant.

• Daffodil causes Gastroenteritis symptoms.

• Climbing Lilly causes Gastroenteritis symptoms.

• Azalea causes Gastroenteritis symptoms.

• Hydrangea causes Gastroenteritis symptoms.

• Ivy causes Gastroenteritis and Neurological symptoms.

• Lilly of the valley causes Cardiac and Renal symptoms.

• Rhododendron causes Gastroenteritis symptoms.

• Stinking Iris causes severe Gastroenteritis symptoms.

• Tulip causes Gastroenteritis, Neurological, Stomatitis-Glossitis symptoms.

• Yellow Iris causes Gastroenteritis and Neurological symptoms.

Dogs and cats love being outdoors with us but can suffer in the hot weather just as much as us!

Our beloved animals are very susceptible to heat stroke...even at temperatures as low as 80 degrees. Fortunately, there are some basic precautions you can take to keep them cool, comfortable, and safe all summer long.

Know the signs of heat stroke

**If your pet is suffering from heat stroke, their panting will become really quick and forceful.

**Their eyes will widen, and they may drool or salivate excessively.

**They may feel dizzy and weak, which can result in them staggering or even collapsing.

**As the heat stroke advances their mouths can become very dry and pale in color and they will quickly become unconscious.

If you see any of these signs in your pet, bring them to the veterinarian right away if at all possible.If a vet can’t be reached, do your best to cool them down in the meantime by putting them in a tub of cool water or running cool water over them.

Make sure the water hits their skin and doesn’t just bead off their fur.

Pay close attention to their undersides…their stomachs and around their legs.

Run the water over their tongue and mouth, but be careful not to run it down their throat…you don’t want to choke or gag them!

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure…do everything you can to keep them from entering the danger zone to begin with!

Never leave your pet in the car…even with the window down.

A panting dog produces heat and humidity every time they breathe out…this hot, damp air will re-circulate in the small space and will quickly build to frying hot temperatures!

Not even in the shade, and not even for a few minutes…pets are as susceptible to heat stroke from sitting in the car as a newborn baby.

Consider trimming or shaving the coat of a longer-haired pet. They will feel much more comfortable, and you will have less shedding to contend with. Just make sure to leave enough hair on to prevent sunburn!

Walk your pet during the cool morning or evening hours after the sun has set. It will be less taxing for both of you!

Don’t tie up your pet outside! If their leash gets tangled, they can cut themselves off from access to their water dish and shade. If you aren’t home to rescue them, the consequences can be fatal.

Make sure your water bowls are the heavy kind they cannot tip over. A full bowl of water can become an empty one with the wrong nudge of a nose!

Keep the water as cool as possible! Leave the bowl in the shade to keep it from overheating and evaporating. Freeze more water in small plastic butter dishes to make an extra large ice cube that will last for hours.

Keep a shady area available for pets to lie in when outside. If you don’t have trees, invest in a doghouse, storage shed, or even a small pop-up tent for your pooch to lie in.

Cats don’t need as much space; trailing vines planted along your fence line will give them a nice shady spot to hide in!

If you bring your pet hiking or camping, make sure to carry a collapsible water bowl with you. Many of them can be folded and tucked inside your pocket or even hung on your belt.

When you stop for a water break, make sure they get some too!

Have a great summer!

The leaves change and so does your pet.

Most dogs and cats shed their summer coats in the fall before putting on their winter coat.

Special attention should be paid to hair coats and daily or weekly brushing (as needed) should help make your pet - and you - happier!

This keeps their skin from getting irritated and helps prevent matting of the hair, which is also very uncomfortable.

Fall is a very common time of year for pets to be effected by allergens such as molds from decaying plant materials and ragweed pollen.

The most reoccurring and hardest allergy to prevent is atopy, or inhalation allergy.

These consist of dust, dust mites (which live in mattresses, upholstery, carpeting, dog bed and cloth toys), mold, mildew, trees and grass pollens.

Dogs and cats with atopy allergies tend to be itchy over their entire body usually starting as a seasonal problem affecting mainly the ears and feet.

Watch of any one or more of these signs:

*Excessive scratching, hair loss or redness.

*Frequent ear infections.

*A skin problem that is either localized in one area or on you pet's entire body, that spreads or worsens.

*Frequent coughing and/or wheezing.

*Discharge from the nose or eyes.

*Frequent vomiting or diarrhea.

*Your pet's condition reoccurs after apparent recovery.

Help you pet by washing their feet after being outside to remove any allergens they could have come in contact with.

Talk to your vet about giving your pet baby Benadryl to help relieve the itching sensation.

You may need to get medicated shampoo for your pet.

Special note for cat owners:

Fall is the most common time of the year for male cats to "block" or form small "stones" that block the flow of urine from the bladder through the urethra.

Any cat that seems to be straining to go to the bathroom should be checked by a veterinarian at once. This may have to do with decreased water intake.

During the winter months there are many outdoor and indoor precautions you should consider for your dog/cat. What may be safe and common to you is not the case for your furry friend.

** Outdoors **

• Use a pet safe ice melt on your property.

• Wash your pet's paws when they have been outside.

Ice melts and salts, if ingested (paw licking) can result in significant gastrointestinal inflammation.

These products also irritate the pads on the paws.

• Don't let you pets drink from puddles.

Antifreeze poisoning is more common then you may think in the winter. The sweet taste is what attracts animals. It only takes 1 teaspoon to cause permanent kidney damage or death.

And, again, clean their paws.


** Indoors **

• Have your furnace evaluated for possible carbon monoxide leakage.

Pets are generally in our homes for longer periods of time then we are and have a higher potential for carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Keep candles and plants out of reach of your pets.

Candles and plants are a great attraction to many animals. Although pretty, they could be dangerous if left too close to your animals.

Candles are the obvious danger, but many plants irritate the stomach and eyes of your pet. Such as- Poinsettias, holly, mistletoe, amaryllis, chrysanthemum, rhododendron, winter broom, berries of the Jerusalem cherry, Christmas berry, cherry, pepper and rose.

• Please have a fireman sticker on your front door that tells of what and how many pets you have inside.

In winter, house fires are more apt to occur due to space heaters, electric blankets, and other heating products. So make sure any emergency personnel knows your pets are in the house.