Jackson Heights Life

Question: when should you start using flea prevention stuff?  My vet said as soon as it's warm but when do you do yours?  And any suggestions as to which one to use?

I hold off as long as I can. Most of the products available are very high in their side-effect profile. Both my dogs have had reactions to a couple of them. If you don't expect to expose your dog to the environments where fleas and ticks breed, I personally wouldn't use any protection at all. Even when using the damned stuff, the paws don't seem to be protected at all. So, each time I come home from an unsafe place I check all 8 paws for ticks—nasty little buggers. I have small dogs, so when I do decide to use something I use Advantix K9 Flea Killer Plus because it comes in an 'under 10 pound' formula. Discuss it with your vet. Ask questions. Read up about the use of the products online. Make an informed decision.

Heartworm medication, on the other hand, is a must!

Most vets charge a lot of money for these products. You have 3 choices: 1) Print out the cheapest price you can find for the item online and bring it with you to the vet visit and ask the vet to match the price; 2) ask for a prescription for the product so that you can go online and order it less expensively; 3) pay the vet whatever he wants for the stuff!

I do #1. He laughs at me, but he matches the price every year!

I ended up getting the Frontline Plus. After reading and comparing online, most people said Frontline was stronger and longer lasting.  Since I bathe Casey every week or so, I decided to get the stronger one.  And I'm happy that he hasn't had any reaction to it so I'll probably stick with it.  It is expensive though.  Over $50 for three months supply.  And it is cheaper online but I'm not sure I trust those places to have the real deal and not some bootleg crap.

Most people know enough not to lock a pet in a car but be careful not to tie them up in the sun all day either.  Some pets with short hair can get burned and the blacktop is incredibly hot for them.  When my Cocker Spaniel Patches was still alive she used to pull me to get on the grass.  If you ever had a dog that has short legs and its belly is close to the ground you can't believe the heat that radiates off the blacktop.  If you don't believe it  try walking bare foot on blacktop that is in the sun.

Buddy, that's a real interesting question. My black dog avaids the sun whenever she can. She would rather walk in the shade, and will break her training to drag us into a shady spot. In the house, she won't lay down on her blankie if the sun is shining on it. The white dog, needs to be pulled out of the sun. He gets sunburned very easily. He loves to drag a pillow up to a window sill and plop himself down for a nap. He gets bossy when I tell him he's spending too much time in the sun and take him off the window sill.

I babysit for a Mini Dachshund. She loves the sun, but in less than 5 minutes of it, she is panting and I take her out of it's direct path.

Do they have sun screen for doggies?

I had to look this up and came across this 2006 article from The New York Times regarding the use of sunscreen on dogs.

Pale Mutts Take Cover

I've always suspected that too much time in the sun can be just as harmful to my dog as well.  I don't know if I'd go so far as applying sunscreen on her, as we'll usually walk or hang out in the shade on most occasions.  I'm more concerned with how the hot pavement can burn the pads on her paws.  Does anyone apply anything to the paws?

I think, as a general rule, all short snouted dogs have a problem with heat. My Affenpinscher hates it, and she let's me know. I use a very simple formula . . . if the dog is panting and dribbling saliva from the extended tongue, it is too hot for the dog.

Has anyone found doggie sun screen? If it came in a spray form, I would be tempted to try it.

I just wanted to let everyone know NOT to let there dogs sniff the "Utility Polls"  they can be dangerous and give your dog an electrical shock.  A friend of mine works for Co Edison and said Queens Utility polls give off electrical shocks often.  Just be careful.

My dog loves to sniff the polls but, I don't let him. 

I read about that woman and her dog getting shocked at a utility pole.  My dog always sniffs them too because most dogs pee on them, mine included.  I suppose I could pull him away but did you get the feeling this was more common than uncommon?  I usually don't worry about odd random things that happen because they fall under my "that's life" philosophy.  Random things happen all the time and most of us are never affected -- unless we're that unfortunate person the random thing happens to.  Is this a Catch 22??