Spring is Here!!!!

It’s that time of year again! The weather is changing and
each day it’s getting warmer and brighter. Soon the
“dog days of summer” will be upon us. Now is the time
to be thinking of how you are going to prepare your
yards and gardens for new growth and for all those great
blooms and blossoms.

Don’t forget your greyhound(s) when you start working
in your yard and garden. Keep in mind that some lawn
care products can be hazardous to your hounds. If you
have a lawn care service, please ask them what types of
fertilizers and pest sprays they use. Most chemicals
today are safe for pets, but remember that our hounds
have much thinner skin and can get sicker faster if
subjected to strong doses of even safe chemicals. Your
hound may not ingest any chemicals directly from your
landscape, but a dog licking its paws can unwittingly
dose itself with the chemical it walked in.

Also, be aware of the types of specialized products you
are using. For instance, although some lawn fertilizers
are safe, some products used for specific garden
applications could mean a dose of poison for a
greyhound. Reports have been published recently of
greyhounds dying when they ate snail bait spread around
the base of plants in the garden.

None of us want to have to bear the loss of a pet because
we didn’t pay attention to the types of chemicals that we
used to make our yards look nice. The best advice is
ALWAYS BE AWARE.

It’s also time to bring out the heartworm preventative
and flea and tick preventative. Many people do not use
these products in the winter and may forget when spring
comes to start using them again. We recommend
strongly (and hope that you agree) that heartworm and
flea/tick preventative is worth the cost of not having to
worry about your hound’s well being.

You can get these preventatives from your vet and on
line. The heartworm preventative is not available in any
pet food or supply stores. Before you give your hound a
heartworm preventative, please make sure that he/she is
heartworm negative. You do not want to give this
medication to a hound that tests positive for
heartworms. Your hound can get a heartworm test at
your vet. You may also want to check your hound’s vet
records to determine when the last heartworm test was
done and to make sure that all other shots are up to date.
Heartworm preventative is taken once a month. You can
usually buy it in a six month supply. Your vet may carry
several brands to choose from, but some only carry one
brand. While you can shop on line for this preventative
to save money, most companies will require an “OK”
from your vet (to confirm that your hound is negative for
heartworms) before they send you the product. If your
vet objects to this, ask if he/she will be willing to price
match.

You do not need a “prescription” from your vet to shop
for flea and tick preventatives, and you can most likely
save money by comparing prices on line (remember to
add in shipping costs!). There are many different
products to choose from. However, DO NOT use a flea
collar on your hound. These items contain toxic
chemicals and your hound’s thin skin will absorb the
chemicals quickly and make him/her sick.
If you need advice on which types of preventatives to
use, please email us and we’ll try to help.
Remember, a healthy hound is a happy hound!!!