Dog Health

Could it be that the flea and tick preventives you’re buying for Fido are counterfeit? Counterfeit versions of Frontline and Advantage have started showing up both at retail stores and online in cleverly designed packaging that looks almost identical to the real thing. However, it definitely is not.

Part of being a responsible puppy or dog owner is knowing when to call the vet. Too many people let things go and have a "wait and see" attitude when their pet has something wrong.

Go into any pet supply store and you will get bombarded with literally hundreds of toys for your puppy or dog. With so may to choose from, what ones are best for your canine companion?

Having spent years as an animal shelter volunteer and knowing many respectable breeders as well as many who are not, this is a very important issue to me. I strongly urge everyone to spay or neuter his or her pet (dogs, cats, rabbits, etc). Tens of thousands of unwanted pets of all ages and species are killed each year in shelters, abandoned, given to poor homes and dying deaths that are horrible. Packs of feral (domestic animals returned to a "wild" existence) cause damage to property, people, livestock and spread diseases such as rabies.

Dogs can be a danger to themselves and every other passenger when traveling by car. A dog who is not restrained can become a potentially lethal missile when involved in an emergency stop.

Both adult dogs and puppies need to be vaccinated, and conscientious annual vaccinating is the only way to protect your pets from sometimes distressing illnesses. Indeed, there might not be a cure for every virus that your dog might contract, so prevention is the only responsible measure to take.