Summer is here, safety ck off....

[Gina Heitz <brier@oregonsbest.com>]

Hi All,

Well the forecast in the valley is calling for 80 degrees today!  This 
means YES summer is getting here!!!!  Time to think about making sure we 
have things set well for the comfort of our dogs.  For a few of you this 
will be your first full summer with a puppy.

Just some things to touch on and please others chime in....

1. Fleas!  If you have not been using flea control now is the time to 
start.  I recommend even if you are using Sentinel brand heart worm and 
flea control by way of "program" which is a flea sterilizer, does not kill 
fleas to expect that with in the next 3 to 4 months you might find a 
flea.  If you do get an application of Frontline on your dog.

Frontline: http://www.peteducation.com/search_action.cfm

Sentinel:  http://www.peteducation.com/search_action.cfm

A. ticks, for those that travel with their dogs to areas known to have 
ticks, use Frontline while you are on the road or get a "Prevent A 
Tick"  brand flea and tick collar.  I don't much care for flea collars but 
ticks are bad news, they carry diseases that can kill dogs.  A dear friend 
just about lost her dog to a tick born disease just recently.  They had 
traveled to Kansas with their dog and unbeknownst to them she picked up a 
tick.  Several months later Ruby was very sick nearly died, seizures, 
ect.  It was a real scare.  I personally nor does my vet or several that I 
know recommend the vaccine for limes disease.  The vaccine is not 100% and 
actually can cause a false positive if the dog is tested.  There are 
several tick born diseases and no vaccine avail.  Just use caution.  Use 
Frontline and do tick inspections when you are in a known area....  For 
more on ticks, Foster and Smith index page:

 http://www.peteducation.com/search_action.cfm


2. We are all coming and going a lot more and sharing the responsibility of 
supervision and or we are not needing to supervise as much as our pup's are 
growing up and becoming dogs.  It's still very important to go over a check 
list:

A. Water, some one needs to be responsible of making sure that the dog has 
clean fresh cool water at all times.

 B. Shade, in the summer our shady spots seem to change make sure if you 
are going to leave your dog outside for any length of time they have shade.

C.  Yards & Gates, gates are being used more frequently and the pad locks 
are off more often.  (you all have pad locks on your gates right).  Make 
sure when ever you leave your gates are pad locked.  More than one dog has 
been stolen or just let out to run by mischievous neighbor kids.  Make 
double sure you know where your dog is and make sure whom ever has the dog 
watch knows where the dog is at all times.

 i. chewing, dogs left alone will chew and the Casino litter is at an age 
where they are going to be more prone to         chewing, sometime between 
8 to 12 months is another teething faze as they are getting their last 
molars now.  So now is a good time to do a yard inspection...

ii. mushrooms, this time of year we all have the possibility of these and 
it's important to do yard inspections for these daily.

http://www.peteducation.com/search_action.cfm

Well that is all I have time for this morning, please those who have things 
to share do, this list was created to share not just be a monolog! :-))

Gina