ARTICLES & OTHER INTERESTING DOG STUFF!
March 2011
It's Time For Spring Cleanup!
Ahhh, the arrival of spring, finally! The warmer days, the smell of grass growing, the buds on the trees, the MASSIVE amounts of poop to be picked up after the snow melts, good times people, good times.
It's also the time when parasites rear their ugly little heads, mosquitoes start to wake up and we start working outside getting our yards ready for the summer months, and all those things mean potential hazards to your dog. So with a few precautions and some practical tips, you and your pooch can enjoy a safe and happy summer!
The first order is to clean up that poopy yard! Most parasites are transmitted by waste matter, so making sure the areas where your dog "goes" are clean, the less fecal matter, the less chance your pup will bring home a wee nasty bug. And since we have had a very snowy winter and wet spring, parasites such as giardia will be extremely prevalent due to runoff from wooded areas and flooding. Getting a fecal test on your dog mid-spring is always a good idea as well, the earlier you catch a parasite the quicker you can treat it and stop the transmission to other dogs.
And while you're out cleaning the yard, give it a good once over to pick up any dangerous debris that could have been buried by the snows, garden tools, pieces of broken fencing and the like are all hazardous to the dog that runs through the yard without looking too hard at where he's going! This is also a great time to empty any vessels or containers that have water in them, mosquitoes breed in standing water, so empty and then flip upside down anything in the yard that can hold water and your yard will skeeter free this spring.
Now that the yard is squeaky clean, the urge to start gardening can kick in (and if your yard is anything like mine, grass is but a distant memory with four dogs in residence, and everything else is protected with deer fencing and in raised beds above the "pee line"). Planting time means turning over the ground and prepping the soil for the new seedlings and plants, and that means adding such thing as bone meal, lime and fertilizer, all things that can make your dog ill if ingested. So use caution when gardening, if your dogs are out with you please keep a sharp eye on their whereabouts and NEVER leave any chemicals within reach, and placing all your soil amendments and chemicals in a locked box or shed is always a good bet.
Once your flower and vegetable beds have planted, there's always the need for weed prevention, and that means mulch. I'm sure most dog owners have heard this, bt it always bears repeating, NEVER, EVER use cocoa mulch, as cocoa mulch does contain the same chemical that's found in chocolate, which is theobromine, a chemical in the xanthines family that can affect the nervous system, cardiovascular system and peripheral nerves in a dog. So always err on the side of caution and use a cedar or pine based mulch chip if you own dogs.
Lastly, don't skip the heartworm test! Heartworms are easily prevented be using a monthly dewormer such as Interceptor or Heartguard, but if left untreated, it can be a very costly and time consuming parasite to deal with, and deadly if not treated in time, so that ounce of prevention is definitely worth the cure.
Following these tips, your and your furry family members should have a safe and healthly spring and summer!
