AC Pup says spring has sprung
It's the beginning of one of my favorite seasons. The cold days of winter are over, we're coming out of hibernation and spring is springing. This is such a happy time when the days get longer, the sky seems bluer, the birds sing louder and the flowers start to bloom.
I can go out and roll in the grass, look at the butterflies and enjoy the sunshine. I can also delight in the wonderful aromas coming from barbecue grills and smokers that are being put to good use. Oh my, how I love spring!
It seems like everyone has renewed energy, a bounce in their step and a smile on their face. It's a great time to hook up the leash and take pets for a walk and get some much-needed exercise. It's also a fabulous time to concentrate on your pet's safety and health.
Before you put him on the leash, take a look at his collar. What kind of collar is he wearing? Please make sure he has a nonslip collar before you take him out of the house.
A nonslip collar, such as a martingale collar that can be purchased at local pet stores, is designed to help prevent a pet from backing out of his collar should he become startled or spooked during the walk. When you add a sturdy leash to attach to the collar, you should be in good shape.
This is one of the most important things you can do to prevent your pet from escaping. I've lost count of the number of people whom I've helped look for their pets that ran away after backing out of a traditional collar. Dogs and cats are really pretty smart and can figure out an escape route if they want to. A nonslip collar will help keep them safe.
The other important factor in staying safe is making sure your pet has on a current, legible identification tag. In fact, the change of a season is a great time to have new ID tags made. That way, you'll know your pet's tag will be in good condition.
Now let's chat about his health. First and foremost, if your pet is not yet spayed or neutered, please make the call to your doctor this week. Just get it done. And while you're at it, have him microchipped at the same time.
The next very important topic is heartworm prevention. For dogs especially, heartworms create terrible problems for them and are usually deadly. If you've ever seen a dog suffer from heartworms with the coughing and shortness of breath, you would take your pet to the doctor for testing and preventive medication for sure.
Heartworms are transmitted through a mosquito bite, and with our warm and sometimes wet climate and our abundance of mosquitoes, our region seems to be burdened with heartworm-positive dogs. And the treatment to rid the dog of heartworms is costly and may be risky. So please, just keep your pets on the preventive medicine.
These are a few tips to help keep your pets safe and healthy as we kick off this glorious season. I'll share more great ideas in the weeks to come. Go outside and enjoy the beauty of spring 2016!
Send questions to acpup247@yahoo.com. Visit www.acpup.com or like his Facebook page.
This story was originally published March 18, 2016 at 9:29 PM with the headline "AC Pup says spring has sprung ."