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Yes, here we are,
the long, hot days of summer. Everyone is picnicking,
camping, going to the beach or just relaxing at home -- even
our four-legged friends like to do these things. Please
beware that summer is a dangerous time for our furry friends
and if you abide by these rules, your pet will have a safe and
care-free summer too.
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NEVER LEAVE
YOUR PET IN A PARKED CAR -- EVEN IF IT'S IN THE SHADE
AND THE WINDOWS ARE OPEN. A
dog or cat's body temperature can rise rapidly and to a
dangerous level within a few minutes (even if the car is
parked in the shade). Heatstroke is inevitable and
death can occur. If you're visiting the market,
please leave your pet at home.
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Always make sure
your pet has fresh, cool and preferably, filtered water
available at all times. My pets have never had to
drink tape water and they are all the healthier for
it. Dogs and yes cats too drink much more on hot
days.
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If your dog is a
swimmer like many of my customers' canine friends, do not
leave your dog unattended. Remember to bathe your
dog afterward to remove chlorine, sand or mud from the
beach or pool. Chlorine dries out the coat and can
leave it flaky and dull.
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Oh, the summer
thunderstorms...many dogs have a phobia about the loud
noise or these storms and can even sense one coming the
day before. Bring your pets inside and try
administering Rescue Remedy (Bach Flower Remedies) to ease
the anxiety and trauma caused by the loudness of the
storm. Rescue Remedy is available in most health
food stores and can be given orally to the pet on his
tongue or misted around his body to ease panic.
Rescue Remedy is used extensively by wildlife
rehabilitators to ease the trauma of wildlife covered in
oil or hit by cars. At Wag 'N Wash, we always have
the remedy on hand for our very anxious canine
friends. It works wonders in most cases.
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Pets love to hang out of
moving cars and some people go as far to put them in the back
of pickup trucks. This is dangerous and negligent as far as I
am concerned. Objects
such as rocks, tree branches or foreign particles might hit
your pet, land in their eyes or your pet might just fall or
jump out of the window. I
learned this first hand after one of my dogs saw another dog
on the street as we were stopped at a light and jumped right
out the window of my Mustang…thankfully, he wasn’t injured
but he ran for 5 blocks before we got him.
Keep your windows up half way when riding with your
pets.
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As I wrote in my summer
2005 newsletter, please check your pets for ticks and
fleas. These
creatures have become an epidemic to reckon with.
Remember, this is not only your pet’s problem but
it’s yours and your home’s too.
Once a flea infestation starts, it is difficult to
combat. Talk to
your veterinarian about taking preventative measures or better
yet, Wag ‘N Wash is proud to distribute FRONTLINE TOPSPOT
PLUS – which kills fleas and their larvae for up to 3 months
with 1 application and kills ticks for one month per
application.
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GET
YOUR PET GROOMED REGULARLY:
Last and most important, those people who own little
dogs like Poodles, Bichon Frises, Shih Tzus, Llhasa Apsos etc.
please have your dogs groomed every 6 weeks.
I have seen the most neglected little dogs come through
my doors these past weeks and it breaks my heart to no end.
If it’s a matter of under-education, here are the
facts about having your dog groomed regularly versus leaving
them unattended for 5 months.
This excerpt is being printed courtesy of a fellow
groomer friend of mine who has any client who brings in a
severely neglected, matted dog sign a release form. This form
is not only for her protection but the pet’s too.
The
skin under a severely tangled or matted coat can (will) become
very irritated and sensitive. Under the matting your animal's
skin can be red swollen, cracked, and dangerous to groom.
During the hot summer months there is also the possibility of
maggots in the dog's skin. Yes maggots. Think
about discovering this when clipping through a dog's
coat. There is also a much higher chance of nicking or
cutting dog's skin during dematting or clipping.
There
is also the possibility for AFTER-grooming effects of matt
clipping procedures, which could include, but are not limited
to the following: itchiness, skin redness or self inflicted
irritations/ abrasions from excessive external rubbing or
scratching.
After
shaving off a coat that has been left unattended for several
months or years the dogs skin will be very sensitive. This is NOT
a problem that the groomer has caused but rather
the owner, by neglecting to care for their dog's coat and
skin. Routine bathing, brushing and combing by the owner
can eliminate these potential problems. Pets that are
shaved are also VERY prone to sunburn and should be
kept in the shade until such time as their hair grows
sufficiently.
In conclusion, I hope all my helpful hints will allow you and
your furry friends to have a wonderful and
safe summer. And,
I will say it again, please have your pets groomed on a
regular basis for their happiness,
health, and well-being. We
love them just like our children, so why shouldn’t we treat
them just the same.
Happy Summer!!
Questions or comments can be sent via e-mail to info@wagandwash.com
or call me at the shop directly at 201-729-1555.
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