Pets

The Roslyn Times, Friday, June 17, 2016

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Fighting Adopting Your Keeping Off Fleas & Ticks New Pet the Pet Pounds Treating pets facing flea & tick infestations

When it comes to adoption there’s no place like home

How to help pets maintainhealthy weights

a blank slate media special section • june 17, 2016

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44 The Roslyn Times, Friday, June 17, 2016

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Treating pets facing flea and tick infestations

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et owners love many things about having companion animals. But flea and tick infestations are probably not on the list of things pet owners love about their furry friends.

Few pets will go their lifetimes without experiencing fleas and/or ticks.

Understanding common flea and tick behaviors can help pet owners better handle infestations.

Fleas and ticks do more than just create irritating skin ailments for dogs and cats. Fleas and ticks also can transmit diseases to pets and even people. There are more than 850 species of tick and 1,600 species of flea identified around the world. The main goal of these parasites is to suck the blood of their hosts in order to reproduce. Both fleas and ticks can survive months to even a year or more without feeding.

Fleas are especially prevalent in warm, humid areas. Ticks tend to be active in warmer weather as well.

Fleas and ticks live outdoors and prefer grassy and forested areas.

They need moisture and prefer to stay out of direct sunlight. Both seek warm, dark humid places. Fleas can wait out winter indoors.

Fleas and ticks are especially skilled at attaching themselves to companion animals. Fleas can leap quite far. Revival Animal Health says fleas can leap vertically up to 7 inches and horizontally as far as 13 inches.

Fleas can easily hop onto dogs, cats or even humans passing by. While ticks cannot leap, they are excellent climbers. Many ticks will attach to a lower extremity on an animal and then climb slowly until they reach the preferred location for latching on.

Identifying symptoms of flea or tick

infestations on dogs or cats is relatively easy.

Scratching and biting of irritated areas is often the first indication of a flea problem. Pet owners usually notice ticks when petting their animal and feeling a strange bump.

On occasion, ticks are discovered while crawling on the pet’s fur, before they have latched on to the animal.

The Animal Health Institute advises combatting flea and tick populations with pesticides and repellents.

Growth inhibitors also are included in the options for flea and tick control. Powders, spot-on liquids, collars, and pills may be used as well.

Veterinarians can best assess which flea or tick product will be best for a specific animal.

Keep in mind that formulations for treating flea and tick problems in cats may differ from those used to treat flea and tick problems for dogs, so they shouldn’t be used interchangeably. Also, follow the instructions from the veterinarian or manufacturer carefully so as not to overmedicate the pet.

To catch fleas and ticks before they become problematic, and in conjunction with using medications, follow these additional tips.

• Wash pet bedding on high heat regularly.

• Clean your home thoroughly to remove any immature fleas and their food sources.

• Check pets regularly for pests and groom them frequently.

• Look for fleas and ticks after coming in from outdoors.

• Mow lawns each week and remove any lawn and garden debris.

Though flea and tick infestations can be unhealthy and uncomfortable for pets, pet owners can take steps to prevent such problems.

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Mutt-i-grees are getting library cards

chool’s out—or just about!— but the fun of learning never stops, thanks to more than 700 libraries across the country that have implemented Mutt-i-grees® in the Library, an initiative of the Mutt-i-grees Curriculum. A unique social-emotional learning program, the curriculum is the joint project of North Shore Animal League America, in Port Washington, N.Y., and Yale University, in New Haven. CT. The program taps into kids’ natural affinity for animals to support social and emotional development and promote skills like empathy, compassion, decision-making, and cooperation that are essential for school and life success.

Every lesson and activity incorporates themes about Mutt-i-grees — shelter pets who are already adopted or still awaiting new homes.

The goal is to build calm, confident caring kids who are tuned in to the

needs of rescue animals and the joys and responsibilities of adoption.

New York Public Library branches across the boroughs are now joining the Mutt-i-grees in the Library initiative and introducing children, teens, and families to the importance of shelter pet adoption. During the coming months, the Mutt-i-grees team from Animal League America and Yale University will collaborate with librarians at nearly a dozen sites in the city’s library system to offer Mutt-i-grees training.

Lauren Bradley, young adult librarian at the George Bruce Branch Library in Harlem, says that Mutt-i-grees programs have generated the highest attendance of children and teens that she’s seen in a long time.

For more information about the program, please visit education.muttigrees.org.

The Roslyn Times, Friday, June 17, 2016

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When it comes to adoption there’s no place like home – literally

Within weeks of being placed in the organization’s one-ofa-kind Help Me Heal Program and being treated by the medical staff, Natalie’s scars began to heal. The burns on her head and base of her tail completely healed and the large one on her back slowly faded like a distant memory of her previous life. For a cat who suffered so much trauma during her early years, Natalie’s spirit was never broken. There was no question that once she was fully healed and cleared to find a responsible, loving home, she would

make the perfect adoptable Mutt-i-gree®.

When that time came, Natalie didn’t have to look far to find her perfect match.

Already the proud mother to Benny, a handsome black cat, who also happens to be a former Help Me Heal animal, Animal League America’s Digital Production Manager, Mary Myles fell in love with Natalie the moment she laid eyes on her. After briefly fostering her to ensure the two cats would be able to co-exist, Mary and her husband, Dave, decided to make the adoption official. Today, Benny and his newfound sister, Natalie, are quite the pals even if they still get on each other’s nerves like most siblings. After all, even fourlegged kids can’t let mom and dad know they actually like each other.

For more information, please visit animalleague.org.

When adopting or purchasing new dogs, dog owners must accept that their companion animals will be part of their lives for the next decade-plus. When dogs are welcomed into a home, they can alter the family dynamic and bring families immeasurable amounts of joy. So it’s understandable that pet parents want that joy to last as long as possible, and prospective pet owners may be surprised to learn that some breeds have longer life expectancies than others.

•Chihuahua: One of the smallest dog breeds, chihuahuas also tend to be one of the longest-living. The longest-living chihuahua reached 20 years old.

Pomeranian: Pomeranians hail from a region of the world formerly known as Pomerania, which was located in parts of present-day Germany and Poland. Queen Victoria fell in love with a pomeranian and made the dog popular in England.

These small pups can live between 14 to 16 years.

Yorkshire terrier: Adorable Yorkies are a favorite of doglovers and can live as long as 20 years.

Dachshund: Affectionately known as the “weiner dog,” these lively pups typically remain loyal companions for anywhere from 12 to 15 years.

Collie: Fans of the television show “Lassie” fell in love with intelligent collies. These dogs were bred to herd sheep and cattle, but they’re also excellent family dogs. Collies tend to live between 15 and 16 years.

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ometimes it takes a lot of searching to find the perfect match for a shelter pet with special needs, but this wasn’t the case for Natalie, a beautiful silver tabby, who arrived at North Shore Animal League America with severe burns covering most of her tiny body.

46 The Roslyn Times, Friday, June 17, 2016

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How to help pets maintain healthy weights Being overweight or obese can shorten pets’ lives by increasing their risk for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, cancer, and osteoarthritis.

The APOP estimates that unhealthy weights can shave up to 2.5 years off of pets’ lives.

Sedentary lifestyles and overeating can contribute to weight gain in cats and dogs. In addition, choosing the wrong foods for an animal’s activity level may contribute to weight gain.

Is my pet too heavy?

L

ike their human companions, pets can struggle with their weight. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, in 2014, an estimated 53 percent of dogs and 58 percent of cats in the United States were overweight or obese.

Many pet owners miss signs that their pets are maintaining unhealthy weights. Pet owners may have a distorted perception of just what qualifies as a healthy weight, thinking a few extra pounds make for a robust pet. But those extra pounds could be causing substantial harm to cats and dogs.

The APOP lists healthy weight guidelines for cats and dogs. Cats are easily weighed by weighing yourself and

then weighing yourself while holding the cat. Subtract your weight, and then you will know how much the cat weighs. Dogs require larger scales, and this is something best handled at a veterinarian’s office.

Wellness visits provide more opportunities to get accurate assessments of pets’ weights. Vets can conduct visual assessments to determine if pets are maintaining healthy weights while also sharing information about the ideal weight for your particular animal.

Cats’ and dogs’ waists should be visible when viewed from above. If your pet seems thick in the middle, chances are he or she can stand to lose some weight.

Increasing activity Exercise and healthy eating are the keys to getting cats and dogs to shed some pounds (animals suffering from illness may need to pursue other avenues to weight loss). Ask the vet

how much your pet needs to lose and the role that diet can play in helping your pet to lose weight. Reduce caloric intake accordingly until pets reach the weight vets recommend.

When pets are already overweight, adhering to guidelines on food packaging may make it difficult for pets to lose weight.

Exercise is another key to healthy weight loss. Dogs can go out for walks or engage in other aerobic activity, such as playing games of fetch. It can be more challenging to get cats to exercise. Toys that play into a feline’s predatory nature, such as things they have or she has to hunt or chase, may inspire cats to move more.

Overweight pets need exercise and changes to their diets in order to lose weight and extend their life expectancies. Consult your veterinarian for advice on how to help pets shed pounds they can keep off for years to come.

The benefits of professional dog groomers

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rooming is something few dog owners may consider before bringing man’s best friend into their homes. But grooming is an important component of dog ownership that keeps pooches healthy and looking their best.

Some dogs are more cooperative than others during grooming sessions. Likewise, some dog owners are apprehensive about grooming their dogs, knowing that dogs can easily be hurt during the grooming process.

Professional dog groomers can make grooming that much more comfortable for uneasy dogs and owners while providing a host of additional benefits.

Safety: One of the troubles owners experience when grooming dogs on their own is that dogs tend to move around a lot when getting their hair trimmed. Unlike humans who rest easy in barber or salon chairs and let their hairdressers ply their trade, dogs tend to fidget or move around during haircuts, and even the slightest move-

ment can lead to cuts or scratches that can hurt dogs and make them even more nervous. Professional dog groomers are well-versed in cutting the hair of fidget-prone pooches and know how to calm dogs so they can enjoy pain-free haircuts.

Nail trimming: Trimming dogs’ nails serves multiple purposes. Nails that are not trimmed can break, and such breaks can make dogs more susceptible to infection. In addition, nails that are allowed to grow too long can be painful to pooches, pushing the nail into the nail bed and creating pressure on the toe joints. But trimming dogs’ nails is not as simple as trimming humans’, as dogs’ nails contain nerves and blood vessels referred to as the “quick.” When the quick is cut, dogs can experience significant pain and even bleed. The potential for that outcome is one reason many dog owners are hesitant to trim their dogs’ nails. Professional groomers do this every day without cutting the quick.

Appearance: Human beings like to look good, and dog owners like their dogs to look good as well. Experienced professional groomers know how to style dogs’ hair in ways that make the dogs look good and feel comfortable. Different breeds of dog require different grooming supplies, and professional groomers will have all the tools necessary for particular breeds.

Long-term health: Even the most attentive dog owner may not notice certain signs that suggest a dog may be sick or developing a condition that can threaten its long-term health. Dog

groomers deal with dogs every day and are in a great position to recognize any abnormalities that may be indicative of a larger problem. Owners may not notice rashes, lesions, skin discoloration or lumps right away, but dog groomers, especially those who have groomed particular dogs in the past, may be more likely to notice such irregularities. This can provide an important safety net between grooming sessions and vet visits.

Dog owners want their dogs to be happy and healthy, and professional groomers can help make that happen.