5March 2013
I have noticed recently that many people are asking me about flea and tick prevention, as well as heart worm medicine. I believe that some dog owners are not currently aware of things they must do EVERY MONTH for their beloved pets.
In order to keep your pets happy and healthy, it’s very important that your pup receives regular vet visits and is up to date on all necessary shots, including: Parvo, Distemper, and Bordatella. But beyond that, it is also important to keep your pet on a few monthly preventative medicines as well.
The first monthly reminder is Heart worm pills. This is a pill you give your dog once a month to prevent heart worms. It is important that you get your pet tested for heart worm prior to using the medication. If your dog already has heart worms, a different course of medical action must be taken. Heart work can kill you dog if left untreated. Once your dog has been tested for heart worm and found to be negative, you may start your monthly treatment of pills. They are meat flavored, so your pet should have no problem taking it.
The second monthly reminder is Flea & Tick medication. I have seen many people say, “oh I won’t worry about it unless they get fleas or ticks.” Believe me, those people took that statement back when they were forced to actually deal with the problem. Fleas are an extreme nuisance and can many times be quite difficult to fully get rid of. Ticks carry things like Lymes Disease, and can have a very adverse affect on your dog’s immune system. A female tick only needs a few days on your dog to be strong enough to lay eggs all over your house. This can lead to an infestation. Believe me, you do NOT want this to happen. Most topical medicines for dogs today treat both Fleas and Ticks in the same application. Two examples of this are: Frontline & Advantix.
The medication is applied between the dog’s shoulder blades along the skin.
The third monthly reminder is to make sure your dog is clean and his nails are trimmed. Nail trimming may only need to be done every few months, depending on your dogs activities. But most dogs should be bathed at least once a month. This can vary from dog to dog, and by breed. During or after your bath, don’t forget to check the dog’s ears and paws for anything out of the ordinary. Clean your dog’s ears if necessary. When your dog has mostly dried after his bath, be sure to give him a good rub down (to check for any missed pests like ticks). Also be sure to give your dog a good brushing after he has fully dried from his bath. This will help keep the dog’s coat healthy, and help keep your floors a little less furry. 🙂
Remember to be calm when bathing your dog. It is especially helpful to tire your dog out before bathing and nail trimming. If they are nice and tired, they will have less energy to object.
