Hi, I’m Wheels. I am a Boston terrier and a special contributor to BubbleLife.com.
Summer is here and I want to give you some reminders about taking care of your furry, four-legged friends.
Did you know that more pets go missing over the Fourth of July weekend than any other time of the year?
Why is that? Independence Day is the iconic American holiday—picnics, parades, firework displays and family fun.
“My Pet Newsletter published by Intervet Inc., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., reports that the Fourth of July is to pets like Halloween is to humans. Scary!
The beautiful burst of color from Sky Rockets and Roman Candles are frightening, thunderous explosions to animals.
The animal becomes terrified and if it can, may run away to get away, ending up lost from its home.
Don’t leave your pets outside in the yard to deal with fireworks alone.
Lost pet services like Home Again report that more animals end up lost over the July 4 holiday than any other time of the year.
If your pet does become lost, the best chance of being reunited with him is to make sure that he or she is micro-chipped. This is a simple procedure done by your veterinarian.
I’ve had it done. And, I did get out of my yard one afternoon. My owner was driving around the neighborhood frantically looking for me when she got a phone call from the pet finding service where I am registered with the message: “Wheels is safe and can be picked up at the VickeryPlaceVeterinarianHospital.”
Also, make sure that your contact information is always correct and updated with the pet finding service. Call the toll free number of the service that your animal is registered with and check it out. It only takes a couple of minutes
If you have forgotten who your micro-chip service provider is, all you need to do is stop by your vet with your pet and they can scan him and give you the information so you can make sure it is correct in the system.
Summertime in Dallas also brings hot Texas weather. Spring has been cool, but now temperatures are heating up.
Remember when your pet is outdoors to make sure that he has plenty of shade and fresh cool water. Dogs can become overheated just like humans and dogs with flat faces like mine are even more susceptible to extreme weather conditions than dogs with long noses.
Another reminder—if you take us for a ride in the car this summer make sure that we are welcome wherever you go. We can’t be left alone in a parked car, even for a “just a minute” while you run in.
The metal of a car is a conductor of heat, absorbing it and keeping it hot. Cracking the windows does little good. With an outside temperature of 90 degrees, the temperature inside a car can rise to 110 degrees in 10 minutes and 120 degrees in 20 minutes.
Take us in or leave us at home!
The rainy days and stormy nights we experienced in North Texas this spring may have subsided, but the fleas have not. They multiply during humid conditions.
Some suggestions for controlling these pesky little parasites include having your house and yard treated by a professional exterminator, visiting your veterinarian and getting your pet on the flea preventative that is right for him and keeping your pet and his bedding clean.
My owner visited Hollywood Feed, the new pet store in Lakewood. They recommended several organic products that along with my prescribed flea preventative will help keep me flea free.
One last word of caution—summertime is mosquito time. Everyone has been talking about the West Nile Virus for the last several years. Mosquitoes can also carry Heart Worm Disease. Heart worms are very serious to dogs and cats and can be fatal.. An infected mosquito can bite an animal and pass on the disease.
Talk to your veterinarian and make sure that your pet is on a heart worm preventative medication.
I hope that I have given you good information to help you keep your pet safe and happy this summer. As your best friend, we deserve it!
Wheels is a seven year old Boston terrier from Grant’s Pass, Oregon. He trained and worked hard with his owner to achieve his AKC championship in conformation. His registered name is Ch. Sunglo’s Cruisin’ in a Tuxedo.