Great time to be in shape

Have you adjusted to the time change yet? I know it takes a little while for your body to catch up but I can tell you, your pets love it!

We love the fact our families are home from work while it’s still daylight outside. So when you get home from work and your pet greets you at the door with a toy in his mouth and the leash sitting beside him, please take a few minutes to play and walk. After all, he’s been waiting all day for this moment.

Since we have so much wonderful daylight at the end of the workday, now is the time to make sure all safety precautions have been taken for your dog or cat. This is the perfect time to make sure your pets are healthy, clearly identified and safe.

First, let’s talk about being able to identify your pet if he were to escape. I can’t tell you how many people contact me about a missing or found pet who has on a collar but no tag. Please put some form of identification on your pet’s collar.

You can get an engraved tag to attach to the collar at any local pet store. Or order a collar online embroidered with your phone number. I would suggest you order a no-slip embroidered collar. A no-slip collar is crucial for your pet.

So many pets have gotten lost because they’re spooked while walking with a regular collar and back out of it and escape. My favorite no-slip collar is Martingale but you can decide the one you like best. Just get one. You could even take a waterproof sharpie and clearly write your phone number on the non-slip collar if you chose not to get the embroidered one.

Next, please get your baby microchipped. It can make sure he can be identified if he’s lost and prove he’s yours when he’s found.

Now let’s talk about health needs. Your pet needs to be up to date on all his vaccines and to have an annual check up to make sure he’s in good shape.

If your pet is not already snipped, please take him to be neutered. We absolutely don’t need any more puppies or kittens.

Another pet health issue that plagues us is heartworms. These things are deadly but so preventable. Please make sure your pet has a heartworm test and is on regular heartworm preventive.

And get a jump on fleas before they get out of control. Even though there are lots of flea control medications sold over the counter, it might be a good idea to talk to your veterinarian about the one that’s right for your pet.

Even if you have a house full of pets, you won’t have a flea problem if you keep them on treatment. Trust me, you’ll thank me for this.

These are just a few ways you can keep your pet in good shape for this beautiful time of the year. It’s really pretty easy keeping them healthy and safe and oh so important.

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Great time to be in shape."