Spring greetings to all of our favorite pet lovers!
The time of the year to start lawn care is upon us....seeding, fertilizing,
mulching.......ughhhhhhhh!
At least all of the weeds in my yard this year are the same color. Nice
continuity. My next door neighbor's lifetime contract with Chemlawn has
not done much to lift my spirits as I gaze at my sprawling quarter acre
weed patch.
Lawn humor aside, there is actually a very important reason to bring up
this subject. Many people begin to apply grass fertilizers and as weed
killers to their lawns this time of year. These products can be very
hazardous to your pets' health if ingested directly, by eating or licking
the grass, or secondarily, by licking their paws after walking on the newly
treated grass. There have also been reported cases of toepad burning due
to direct contact with these chemicals.
Phil Unguren posed a great question to me recently regarding this very
subject. The way to prevent pet toxicity is to apply the product just
before a heavy rain to dilute the surface concentration as much as
possible. Phil was correct in keeping his dog Lucy off the lawn for 1-2
days after application of the weed and feed, and then spraying the lawn
thoroughly with a garden hose.
Many of our beloved pets suffer from the ill effects of this nasty
microscopic protozooan parasite. Most pets contract Giardia from drinking
contaminated water (i.e. puddles after a rain, creeks, or the good ole
Priest Lake Punch) or from eating/licking grass that is contaminated with
bird droppings. Beware of bird feeders in areas that your pet frequents!
Fortunately we now have an effective vaccine to treat and help prevent the
vomiting and diarrhea caused by this persistent parasite. The initial
vaccine is given on day 1 and a booster 21 days later; thereafter, just
once a year.
A large majority of our dogs experience bacterial or yeast induced ear
infections this time of year.
Water often gets trapped in the long L shaped ear canal after a bath, rain,
or trip down to Priest Lake.
Here are a two tips to save money, vet visits , and most importantly the
pain associated with ear infections:
* Plug your pets' ears with cotton lightly coated with vaseline (for
waterproofing) prior to a bath. The
ear canal is funnel shaped so the cotton will not get lost deep in the ear.
* Apply Oticlens or Epi-otic into both ears before and after a bath,
rainstorm, trip to the lake, etc...
These products lower the pH of the ear canal preventing up to 90% of
infections that would normally occur. Pets that have had more than one ear
infection should have an routine application 2-3 times a week regardless of
water exposure.
Laura Ronchi, soon to graduate from the Columbia State Community College's
Veterinary Technician Program, will be married to Ron Barnes on May
27. This is bound to be a BIG day for everyone here at Priest Lake! Laura
and Ronnie will be settling down in their newly purchased home in
Lavergne.
Even more good news for this exceptional person... Laura has
been nominated for and will receive the outstanding vet tech student award
from Columbia State this Spring.
A guy walks into a restaurant with a dog under his arm, puts the dog on a
barstool and announces that the dog can talk and he has $100 that he is
willing to bet anyone who says he can't.
The bartender quickly takes the
bet and the owner looks at the dog and asks "what is the thing on top of
this building that keeps the rain out?" The dog quickly answers
"ROOF".
The bartender answers "who are you kidding? I am not
paying".
The dogs owner says "how about double or nothing and I'll ask him
something else?" The bartender agrees and the owner turns to the dog and
asks , "Who was the greatest ballplayer of all time?" The dog answers with
a muffled "RUTH".
With that, the bartender picks them both up and quickly
ejects them from the establishment.
As they bounce on the sidewalk the
puzzled dog turns to his owner and says "DIMAGGIO?".
