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Spring/Summer
Pet Tips
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Flea
control is very important to the health of your pet.
Flea bites cause discomfort and irritation, and they
are responsible for a serious skin condition known
as flea allergy dermatitis. In addition, fleas carry
tapeworms (intestinal parasites). Fleas can
quickly infest your home, and even bite humans.
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PROGRAM:
Is the only once-a-month oral flea control available
for your cat or dog. One dose of Program given to
your pet prevents flea eggs from developing and hatching.
This breaks the flea life cycle and protects your
home from infestations.
Program
used alone, will bring it under control by breaking
the flea cycle. The fleas will be unable to reproduce
and will soon die off. However, we highly recommend
using Program combined with Advantage for fleas or
Frontline for fleas and ticks for the ultimate protection.
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ADVANTAGE:
Is a once-a-month application that is applied on the
surface of the skin (between the shoulder blades).
This will kill the adult flea. The application begins
working immediately, killing 98 - 100% of fleas within
24 hours.
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FRONTLINE:
Is the only protection of its kind to protect against
fleas and ticks. For your cat this once-a-month application
will kill adult fleas. For your dog this application
when used monthly will not only kill adult fleas but
also kill all stages of tick development helping to
protect your dog against getting and spreading such
serious illness as Lyme Disease. This application also
works killing fleas within 24 hours and ticks within
48 hours.
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NEW
PRODUCT -
Program ( 6 Month ) Injectable For Cats.
This is a simple and convenient method of flea control
for your cat. Just one dose administered by the Veterinarian
will help protect your cat against flea infestation
for a full 6 months. Ask your veterinarian for details.
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TRAVELING
WITH YOUR PET
Pets enjoy a vacation as much as you do. Traveling with
your animal friend can be a great experience, as long
as you follow a few simple precautions to make the trip
as comfortable for them as possible.
First of all, make sure that all your pet's vaccinations
are up to date and that it is in good enough physical
condition to handle the stress of a trip. If you are
not sure about these things, a visit to your veterinarian
will ensure that your pet is in good shape. You may
need vaccination certificates or general health certificates,
depending on where you are traveling, and these can
be issued at the hospital. Also make sure that you have
enough supplies of any medication or special food that
your pet needs, and that your pet is free of intestinal
parasites and on heartworm, flea, and tick preventative
if appropriate.
Next, make sure that your pet will be welcome. If you
are planning to fly, check with the airline about their
requirements for pet travelers (extra fees, any certificates
that are necessary, approved travel cage sizes and specifications).
Call ahead to any hotel, bed and breakfast, or campsite
that you are planning to visit to verify that you will
be bringing your friend along and to ask if there are
any special requirements. And of course, if you are
planning to stay at a friend's place, check with them
before showing up with your pet - there may not be enough
space for it, or someone in the household may have allergies.
If you are traveling by car, make sure that your pet
is properly restrained - in a cage or cat carrier, or
with a doggy seat belt. Do not let it wander around
the car, as many accidents have occurred when a pet
suddenly jumps onto the driver or squirms around the
brake or accelerator pedals. Even though they love to
do it, dogs should not be allowed to stick their heads
out the window, as objects may blow into their eyes
and cause injury. Your pet should be able to stand up,
stretch, and move around within whatever restraint you
are using. To prevent carsickness, don't feed your pet
for 8 hours before the trip - if it is very hungry,
give it just a light snack. Ask your veterinarian if
a tranquilizer is appropriate for your pet - most pets
don't need them, and the current recommendation is to
avoid them if at all possible. If it is very nervous
about traveling, and if you must travel with it, ask
for the mildest possible tranquilizer and keep its use
to a minimum. Make frequent stops to allow your pet
to relieve itself and have a drink of water. Try to
avoid leaving your pet alone in a car, especially during
the heat of the summer. An enclosed car can rapidly
become very hot (over 120 degrees) and lead to heat
prostration.
When
traveling out of state, make sure that you have your
pet's health and vaccination certificates available
for inspection if needed. Overseas travel may be more
complicated. Some countries require only vaccination
certificates, others require health certificates (which
may need to be signed by a specially accredited veterinarian),
and still others require a quarantine for up to six
months. Call the local embassy or consulate several
weeks ahead of time to find out what is needed. This
will give you time to make the necessary arrangements.
The following is a brief checklist of what to pack:
Sufficient food for the trip (and a bit extra in case
of unexpected delays) - you want to make sure your pet
eats its usual diet in order to avoid digestive upsets.
You might also want to bring along gallon jugs of the
water your pet drinks at home (for very finicky pets
or those whose systems may be sensitive to a change
in water).
Any medications that your pet is taking (including heartworm
preventative and flea/tick control), as well as your
veterinarian's phone number.
Identification of your pet: a collar, or verification
of tattoos or microchips.
Carrier or seat belt harness, leash, halter, portable
kennel.
Cat litter and disposable litter pans.
Grooming supplies: brushes, flea combs, ear wash (if
your pet is prone to ear infections or is going to be
swimming), tweezers for tick removal (if you will be
camping or hiking in the woods).
Copies of health certificates, vaccination certificates
(especially rabies), rabies tag (if it's not on your
pet's collar), and a copy of your pet's medical history
(if your pet has a chronic medical problem that might
need attention on the road).
When traveling with your pet, try not to ever leave
it alone (especially in a hotel or motel room where
it may make noise and bother other guests; or at a campsite
where it may encounter hostile wildlife). Make sure
to be responsible and clean up any mess your pet makes,
and don't let it annoy other travelers. Some people
are uncomfortable around animals, and may not want to
interact with your friend. Even though you know that
your pet is friendly, get permission from parents before
allowing young children to touch or play with it. Being
a courteous and conscientious owner will make your trip
pleasant and fun for you, your fellow travelers, and
especially your pet.
Have a great trip! |
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