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Spring is just around the corner so in many parts of the country, this means that dogs will be spending more time outside. Be sure to protect your pet from some of the problems that may occur outside like fleas, ticks and heartworm disease. You can protect your canine from fleas by using flea collars, powders, shampoos and flea dips as long as these remedies are done on a regular basis. Ticks can also be prevented in similar ways. If you find a tick on your animal, the best way to remove it is by pulling the tick off (head included) with a pair of tweezers. Be sure to put a dab of alcohol on the feeding spot to prevent infection after you remove the tick from your animal’s hide. Another problem for small dogs is heartworm disease which is carried by tiny worms that hitch a ride on mosquitos.  In Heartworm disease, small worms lodge themselves into the animal’s heart and cause respiratory problems, heart problems and coughing and can shorten your dog’s lifespan.  Heartworm treatment by a vet is expensive and difficult so the best treatment to protect your tiny dog is to prevent an infection in the first place. There are small pressed heartworm biscuits that you can give your dog monthly to prevent heartworm infections as well as spot treatments that are applied to the dog’s neck. Most dogs will readily eat the heartworm biscuits so using this form of preventative is easy and effective and only takes a once per month application to be effective. Your vet will probably want to test your animal first to make sure that s/he is not already infected with heartworms before prescribing the medication. Heartworm preventative will not kill existing worms but will work to prevent new ones from developing. Always speak with your vet about the proper medications and dosages for your animal for the part of the country in which you live as different problems are more common in some parts of the country than in others.

Dogs Love to Go Outside

Now that spring is on the horizon, many people will be out shopping for beautiful spring flowers and bulbs to plant in their backyard gardens. If your special canine friend spends time in your backyard and  likes to dig or is a young dog who finds chewing anything and everything a fun pastime,  this could spell disaster. Many bulbs and flowers are poisonous to dogs so if your tiny dog digs up certain bulbs and chews them or nibbles on some types of plant leaves, you may be in for an expensive trip to the vet to save his life.  Or, ven worse,you may have to face the pain of losing your animal if you don’t find him in time and get immediate help.  Don’t take the risk by not knowing what flowers or bulbs might spell trouble for your canine friend.

Here are some flowers and bulbs that are poisonous for dogs. If you can’t live without these flowers or bulbs,  be sure to place them only in fenced areas where your dog cannot get access them or in parts of the yard where your dog cannot go.  The poisonous plants are: buttercups, caladium, calla lilly, crocus bulbs, daffodil bulbs, Easter lilly bulbs, hemlock, hydrangea, jonquil bulbs, lilly of the valley, mistletoe, narcissus bulbs, oleander, poinsettia, skunk cabbage and yew plants.  Remember the old saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?”  That saying certainly applies to knowing ahead of time which plants and bulbs are safe to have around your dog and which should be avoided.

Dogs who often associate with other dogs can be at risk for developing some serious respiratory health problems. There is a disease known as canine infectious tracheobronchitis or  “kennel cough”  as it is more commonly known, that can cause real problems for your small breed dog. Dogs are at risk for this contagious disease when they mingle  or are in close quarters with other dogs. This can happen  by going to stay in a boarding kennel when their owner is away from home, by playing with other dogs in the park or neighborhood, by being around other dogs  at dog obedience school, and even by participating in dog shows. Dogs can also be at risk when they visit the groomers or even when they go to the vet.  Like a human cold, it is easy to catch and may show up several days after contact with the infected animal.  The dog exhibits a dry, hacking kind of cough. While most dogs eventually get over kennel cough, a dog can become lethargic, have a loss of appetite and run a fever. The biggest risk is that untreated, kennel cough can turn into pneumonia which can, without the immediate attention of a vet,  threaten an animal’s life. The best solution is prevention by vaccinating your dog for this respiratory problem.

We all know that there is nothing cuter than a tiny dog breed puppy but unless you intend to become a breeder, there is no need for your animal to sire or bear a litter of puppies prior to being spayed or neutered. There is nothing cruel or inhumane about the process and in fact, spaying or neutering your tiny friend can actually prevent some health problems later in life. Female dogs who have been spayed before their first heat have a significantly lower chance of developing breast cancer in later life. Neutered males have a much lower incidence of prostate problems in later life. Vets generally recommend that puppies be brought in around 6 to 8 months of age for this procedure. While spaying a female may take a couple of days of rest, your small canine will be back on her feet and ready to romp and play in a week or so. Males who are neutered, will bounce back even more quickly since their surgery is less invasive than that of the female dog. Neutering and spaying not only stops the possibility of pregnancy in females but it can also prevent undesirable or embarrassing male dog behaviors from becoming habits that are hard to break. If your dog is around this age, be sure to discuss all of the health ramifications regarding spaying and neutering your animal with your veterinarian. Good preventative care for your animal means that s/he will live a longer and happier life . And,  who doesn’t want as much time as possible with their furry, little  bundle of joy?