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With the best intentions, I have TRIED to brush my dogs and cats teeth! And have you ever tried to brush a cat’s teeth??? NOT FUN! This was met with a LOT of resistance and very little success…I tried different flavors of toothpaste. I tried different approaches. The end result was that the cats never let me into their mouths to begin with…being cats of course…and the dogs? Well Grace tolerated it for a VERY short period of time. Benson, being a big scaredy cat as any of you who read that post know, was of course scared of the toothbrush and would high tail it to the door as soon as he saw it!

According to the AAHA, most dogs and cats will have some sort of dental issues by the age of THREE! I noticed with Grace that she started getting plaque buildup right when her adult teeth came in. So I knew I had to do something about it sooner rather than later!

Early Signs of Dental Disease

Signs of dental disease in dogs and cats tends to show up early in their lives, and can include tartar buildup, bad breath and red swollen gums. If it is not treated, it can lead to chronic pain and inflammation. Dental treatment at the vet is not fun for anyone (not to mention expensive!) so early treatment is the key here!

Signs to Watch For

Pets are EXPERTS at hiding pain so you may not realize that something is amiss! Also, dental disease may not be apparent by simply looking at your animal’s teeth as it can be hidden under the gums. Signs to watch for can include decreased appetite, lethargy or irritability.

With Gizmo, I noticed that he wasn’t coming to eat his food which he usually would yowl for! So off to the vet. And they found that his front teeth were broken off, had gotten impacted in his gums and caused infection requiring his front teeth to be removed!

Bubbles had an interesting situation as well…She had just come back to live with me so I did not know what her normal behaviour was and had no idea that anything was wrong. She was a bit of a cranky cat which I attributed to the adjustment from being an outdoor cat to an indoor cat. When I took her to the vet for her annual checkup they found that she had tooth resorption. This is a condition where the tooth starts to erode and be reabsorbed by the body!

This is actually quite a common condition in cats surprisingly, causing her a lot of pain. The vet removed that tooth and she was a different cat all of a sudden!! Much more friendly and loving. As this condition can reoccur in other teeth, I make sure that she gets to the vet for her annual checkup.

Health Conditions

Dental disease in your pet can end up leading to other health issues. Besides tooth loss, the blood stream can carry bacteria from the gums to your pet’s kidneys, liver and heart which is why proper oral care is so important for our pets!

Prevention

It is recommended that you try to brush your pet’s teeth daily to prevent dental disease. Your pet’s annual vet checkup is also an important step in early detection of dental problems. However, with my experience and the inability to actually brush their teeth I ended up looking to other solutions.

Pet food was the first thing I looked to! My cats and dogs both eat Hills Science Diet Oral Care food. It is a larger kibble designed to clean your pet’s teeth when they bite it. And the best part is that it seems to taste great to my pets! And all other pets as well…I don’t even need to buy any other treats for the dogs, as they will come running for a piece of kibble! And Grace and Benson will pick that kibble out of the bowl before eating their other food! All the dogs at the dog park really like it too and I am frequently asked by other owners what treats I am giving out…

My cats have great teeth when we go in for checkups now. But it still wasn’t quite enough to keep my dog’s teeth entirely clean. I give Grace and Benson frozen marrow bones once a week, which acts to brush and floss your dog’s teeth if there is enough meat and cartilage left on them. The marrow can cause some stomach sensitivities in some dogs however.

Grace and Benson were also getting a dog teeth brushing chew but I found that raw frozen chicken feet are nothing short of amazing! Their teeth at 3.5 years old look perfect! It’s a bit gross to watch them eat them, but hey it works! And it also comes with the added benefit of joint support since they have an abundance of protein, glucosamine and chondroitin.

Brushing their teeth daily is still the best way to clean your pet’s teeth, but I have found that my cats and dogs have good oral health with the steps I have taken above.

What to Avoid

If you are considering bones for your dog, it is important to find the right ones!! They should be raw as smoked and cooked bones can splinter and end up causing other health issues. Also, if they are too hard for your dog they can crack and break their teeth (I have heard of this issue with antler chews).

Size also matters! You want to make sure that you are getting bones that are too large for your pet to swallow. With my beasts this means finding the biggest bones I can!!

Treatment

Treatment of dental disease is done at the vet, and requires general anesthesia. The anesthesia in itself carries its own risks and I try to avoid it. It is also particularly risky to older pets. Nemo had really bizarre teeth and had to have dental cleaning twice and each time it was a nerve wracking process!

Prevention really is the best way to keep your pets happy and healthy! Dental care is an important part of caring for our pets and ensuring that you are taking care of it properly is vital to their overall health.

Be sure to read our other posts for more health tips!

The post How to Care for Your Pet’s Teeth first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

When they did the tests, Benson came back with a yeast infection! More drops! We had quite the schedule of drops, since they were on different medications at different intervals! According to the AKC, up to 20% of dogs develop some form of ear disease which is why it is important for dog owners to be aware of the symptoms and treatment of ear infection.

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Types of Ear Infection

The most common type of ear infection is outer ear infection, otitis externa. This is when there is inflammation in the layers of cells in the external part of the ear canal and can infect either one or both of the ears. With Grace it was one ear, and in my poor boy Benny it was in both ears. Of course, Benson fights with his full body weight after I manage to corner him…great experience for us all around and I am grateful if I only end up with a few bruises…

If you have had any experience with ear infections, you know that they can come on FAST! It seems like one minute they are fine, and the next minute they are scratching and in a great deal of pain and discomfort. And it can get progressively worse leading to the infection leading further into the ear canal. The middle ear is just behind the eardrum (otitis media) and the inner ear are where the ear brain meet (otitis interna). If an ear infection is left untreated and moves deeper into the ear canal it understandably becomes much more serious and difficult to treat.

Keeping this in mind, it is very important to get your pet to a vet for testing and a proper diagnosis as soon as you see signs of an ear infection!

Symptoms

As soon as I notice one of my dogs shaking their head, I am on high alert! After the experience when they were puppies they are a lot more sensitive when I start lifting their ears to take a look around so I try to work it into a nice head rub so they don’t freak out and run away! They weigh considerably more now than they did last year (each one individually weighs more than I do!) and corralling them is no easy feat! If I am too obvious in my attempts to get into their ears, Benson will IMMEDIATELY run as far away from me as he can, head down, wounded look in his eyes.

Symptoms to watch for include:

• Head shaking
• Scratching/itchy ears
• Redness and/or swelling in ears
• Discharge (black or yellow)
• Unpleasant odor
• Sensitivity to being touched or petted around ears
• Head tilt
• Scaly skin/scabs
• Ears feel warmer than usual
• Irritability or tiredness

Also, if your pet has chronic or recurring infections you may notice their ears are scaly or their ear canals can appear thickened.

If it is a severe infection and the ear drum has ruptured you may notice that your dog is having difficulty standing or walking in a straight line as the ears affect balance, and they may lose their appetite. This can cause very serious side effects including permanent hearing loss and facial paralysis.

Causes

With Grace, the likely suspect for her bacterial ear infection was dirty lake water. The vet even said to me “I see we have been swimming in the lake recently”. I had not even thought to check the water quality before they went in the lake but now I know to check, and if there is a low quality day we find other places to go for our walks! I check her ears when we get home and dry them out if they have water in them. Besides ear and skin infection, if your dog drinks the lake water (like mine do) it can cause digestive upset and either dirty floors or constant trips to the yard…Ok, back to ears!

Dog’s ear canals are much deeper than ours are, which enables them to hear much better than us! But unfortunately their long, narrow ear canal can put them at higher risk for ear problems, particularly in floppy eared dogs (mine…) as it encourages a moisture buildup. And unlike our ears, dog’s ear canals are L-shaped, which means that moisture and bacteria can get trapped in the horizontal canal easier than it can in humans making it a common infection in dogs.

Causes for ear infection are as follows:

• Moisture buildup leading to yeast
• Bacteria
• Allergies
• Mites
• Foreign object
• Tumor
• Polyps
• Wax buildup/plug
• Dead skin buildup
• Injury
• Excessive cleaning
• Auto-immune disorders

Allergies have been shown to be the underlying cause for up to 75% of all cases of ear infection (Paterson, 2002)! This is why I cringed when Benson was diagnosed with seasonal allergies…He has been shaking his head but not excessively and I have been making sure to keep on top of them! When I get his ear cleaner out he will give me a wary side eye and watch my every move!

I have started putting a few drops in two ear droppers and then walk away from it for a while until he is calm and lying down. Even then if I start scratching around his ears and flipping them up he looks to make sure I have nothing in my hands and that both are in sight! But I manage to catch him and get the drops in there…without too much drama anyways! I have him on allergy medication as well and I noticed that the head shaking is at a minimum for now but I am keeping a close eye on him.

Prevention

Prevention is KEY in keeping your dog from getting an ear infection! You should make sure that your dog’s ears are clean and set a schedule to clean them 1-2x a week. I use a medicated ear cleaner that does a relatively good job at clearing out the wax and debris without having to go into the ear canal. Massaging their ears for 20 to 30 seconds after the drops are applied softens and removes debris which they can then clear when they shake their ears after their massage is done.

With Grace, she will sit there in ecstasy during the massage part as I imagine she thinks it feels pretty good! I have a harder time with Benson though because as soon as the drops go in he tries to take off! But I think he ends up realizing that the hard part is already over because he generally lets me do it!

Bathing and swimming can introduce water into your dog’s ears which can lead to infection. Try to keep your dog’s ears dry during a bath, and dry their ears after swimming! You should also clean your dog’s ears after a dip in the lake. There are drying agents that you can also buy to aid with this.

Dogs with hairy ears are more prone to ear infections, but check with your vet to see if hair removal is appropriate before removing it.

Treatment

Treatment types differ depending on what is causing the ear infection, and your vet will prescribe the appropriate treatment. For many cases it will be some sort of an ear drop (topical application) containing antimicrobials or antibiotics. They may also contain corticosteroids which can speed up the time to clear up the symptoms. If the cause was mites they may also send you home with antiparasitic drugs. For chronic and long lasting cases, your pet may need oral medication or an injection.

Your pet’s ears should be clean and dry before giving them drops, as wax and foreign bodies can inactivate the medication! Your vet will already have given them a good clean at the time of diagnosis but something to keep in mind when you are giving your dog their medication at home. After treatment be sure to use a cotton ball or wipe to dry any excess from your dog’s ears.

Topical medication works by providing your dog’s ear with a thin coating. Time for treatment varies and depends on the severity of the infection but typically clears up within 2-4 weeks. A chronic infection could take several months or never end up fully clearing up. Your vet will likely want to schedule a follow-up appointment to ensure that the infection has cleared.

Foreign objects will need to be removed from a dog’s ear, and your vet will also want to check to see if a tumor or polyp is blocking the ear canal leading to moisture and bacteria buildup. Do not try to remove the foreign object yourself or clean your dog’s ears before your appointment as it can end up pushing the object further into the ear canal!

Allergies were determined to be behind the cause of Benson’s recent ear sensitivities (you can read more on pet allergies here). Your vet can prescribe the proper medication to prevent future ear infections, and with Benny boy the head shaking has almost completely stopped since he started taking his! If your vet suspects that an underlying cause is the reason behind your dog’s ear infection, the underlying cause will need to be addressed to limit the likelihood of future ear infections.

If some sort of a wax or dead skin buildup is the cause, your vet will clean and flush your pet’s ears to remove it. This may need to be done under sedation if your dog will not allow your vet to do this easily.

While keeping your pet’s ears clean is important, it is just as important not to overdo it! If you are excessively or roughly cleaning your dog’s ears it can also be the trigger behind an ear infection, so if this ends up being the case speak with your vet about an appropriate schedule you can stick to!

Dog Breeds

Certain dog breeds are more prone to ear infection than others! This includes breeds of dog with large and floppy ears, hairy ears and breeds prone to allergies.

Some of the dog breeds on this list include:

• Retrievers
• Cocker Spaniels
• German Shepherds
• Boxers
• West Highland Terriers
• Pit Bulls
• Poodles
• Shar-peis
• Old English Bulldogs

Any dog can get an ear infection if the conditions are right (or wrong…). Keeping your dog’s ears clean is a good start, but you should make sure to keep an eye on your dog’s ears and notice if there are any unusual changes. It is very important to get your pup to the vet as soon as you can so that you can start treatment as quickly as possible and prevent the infection from getting worse.

I actually just hung up the phone with our vet. Grace has been shaking her head with increasing frequency throughout the day…She’s also irritable with her little brother (much more than her usual self anyways!) so I thought it was best to get her in to get checked out…I guess swims are off the table for the next couple of weeks, sorry girl!

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The post What You Need To Know About Ear Infections In Dogs first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Summer Has Arrived!

It really is a novelty to be able to take my laptop out into the back yard and type away! But as I am typing and sitting enjoying the weather, my dogs are inside…We have hit that time of the year where I want to be out and they want to be in! Where in the winter you practically have to DRAG me out the door protesting the whole time!

Also, as I have joined the Woof Walk Challenge (read more and donate HERE) I am going to have to think about when and where I am walking my pups to make sure they don’t get overheated in order to stay on track. They are big BEARS and their black coat really heats up fast out in the sun.

Dogs pant to release heat, and can also sweat through their feet. They don’t sweat the way people do which increases their risk of overheating in the hotter summer temperatures. According to PetMD temperatures over 103 degrees Fahrenheit are above normal, and at 106 degrees or higher your pup is at risk of heat exhaustion. At these high temperatures, their organs can start to shut down and your dog could go into cardiac arrest.

Signs to Watch For

The signs you can watch for during the summer months (or in any warmer climate year round) include:

• Excessive panting
• Less responsive
• Glazed eyes
• Excessive drooling
• Rapid heart rate
• Dizziness
• Lack of coordination
• Fever
• Lethargy
• Loss of consciousness/collapsing
• Convulsions
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Gums or tongue turn blue or bright red

If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, don’t wait – ACT IMMEDIATELY.

What to Do if Your Dog Is Overheating

If you think that your dog is starting to overheat, try to cool them down immediately. Move them into the shade if you are out and about. If you are at home, you can put them inside with a fan on them. My two bears are inside right now as we have hit that time of the year where they want to be in more than out, and I want to be out more than in!

Take your dog’s temperature – any pet first aid kit should include a thermometer! If your dog’s temperature is above 106 degrees call a vet or the emergency vet IMMEDIATELY!

We are fortunate that we live close to the lake and take many of our walks there. If you are close to water let your pup have a swim to cool off. Alternatively, you can wet a towel with cool water (not cold, and for puppies use lukewarm water) and put it on their feet, armpits, stomach (essentially places where you can cool down the skin directly).

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Allow your dog to drink cool water (not cold), but don’t force them to do it. I always carry around a water bottle in the summer that I keep in the fridge since it can heat up fast once we are out in the sun. Benson LOVES to drink right out of the bottle! Grace, however, is a bit of a princess so I had to get one of those little pop up bowls that attaches to her leash…We are also very lucky in that our Beaches neighborhood is extremely supportive of dogs and many of the stores have water bowls out on the sidewalk! The ice cream place on the beach even has a full trough!

Even if you can cool down your puppy it is a good idea to make a call to the vet to make sure that they aren’t experiencing any complications from the heat stroke.

Risk Factors

There are factors that can put your puppy at higher risk for having heat exhaustion. Dogs with thick coats and short-nosed breeds such as pugs and bulldogs can be at higher risk. My little pug Nemo HATED walking at the best of times…so the walks with him were always relatively short or he ended up being carried around! He had me well trained!

Young puppies and older dogs are also at higher risk for heat exhaustion. As are obese dogs.

How You Can Prevent Heat Exhaustion

NEVER leave your dog in the car! Even if the temperature outside is still cool, the inside of a car can heat up quickly to dangerous levels.

Make sure that you take humidity levels into consideration as well on hot days as this can increase the risk of heat exhaustion. Try to find areas with shade and water to walk on hot days. In the heat of summer, I take my dogs out early in the morning and later on in the day and avoid the mid-day sun. For myself, I LIVE for those hot and humid summer days! So while the dogs are inside cooling off, you can usually find me sitting out in the middle of it! I also bought them a kiddie pool last summer…

Did I Mention Hydration?

Adequate hydration is also really important. As I mentioned, I have a water bottle and pop up water bowl that attaches to the leash that I can give the dogs until they get down to the water. But I will caution one thing here as well, and that is to check the water quality if you can before letting your dogs indulge…And Lake Ontario isn’t exactly the cleanest lake around and I didn’t check last summer which led to a few nights of repeated trips out to the yard!

Vigorous exercise should also be avoided on hot days. As a result, we walk REALLLLLY slow and I let my dogs take a break if they need it. Which inevitably seems to lead to wrestling so I’m not sure if they actually needed a break but best to be cautious!

While I could live without ever turning on my air conditioning, I do it for my pets. Even then this sometimes isn’t enough. So I have a fan that I can put on them when they are inside and overnight to help more. There are also several cooling mats on the market that are great (until your cat sticks their claws into it and wrecks it…Whiskers…). Raised dog beds can also help keep your dog cooler.

Summer weather is here!!! And the past year has been tough on all of us, so let’s get out there, enjoy it and keep our pets safe and happy as well!!!

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The post What Every Pet Owner Has to Know About Heat Exhaustion first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

I don’t know about you, but the thought of fleas and ticks on my pets (and potentially myself) is enough for me to make sure that I am diligent in treatment of my animals. Last year the cats started venturing outside for the first time since we moved into the house. So I had not been giving them meds as I was with the dogs.

I was giving Bubbles some scratches on my bed and felt what was like an extra piece of skin like a skin tag hanging off the back of her neck. Upon looking closer and giving it a little poke, I saw the little legs wiggle and knew. It was a TICK. On my CAT. On my BED. GROSS!

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Tick Removal

Running downstairs, I grabbed a pair of rubber gloves, the tweezers, a bowl of alcohol and alcohol swabs. I was now ready to clean the wound when I was done with this gruesome task.

Bubbles actually sat really well for me while I tended to her. This actually surprised me somewhat as I expected a bit of a battle to keep her still enough to remove the tick. I carefully parted her fur where the tick had latched on to do its dirty business. Then I got the tweezers right down under the body where it met the skin.

Hoping for the best, I pulled straight upwards with a steady motion and I could feel how tightly it was latched on. Finally I heard a POP and it was out! But I was still sitting on my BED with a half engorged tick…Into the alcohol it went! I ended up keeping it for several days in case Bubbles had a reaction. If she did the tick needed to be tested for Lyme disease.

It’s Out!

Cleaning up the wound area, I was hoping that I got out all the body parts and that there would be no infection. I checked the site regularly for the next few days. In addition I carefully monitored her behaviour to make sure that a vet visit would not be in order. Any regular reader knows I spend half my life there already anyways!

That was the first time I have had to remove a tick from one of my pets, and a bit of an eye opener. Where I grew up in Saskatchewan ticks are prevalent in the spring. So there are lots of stories of us running scared and screaming from a tick! There was also the time I found one latched on behind my Mom’s ear when we lived in Calgary…But I had not thought much of it living in the middle of a large city.

Fleas

Although small, fleas and ticks have the potential to create a great deal of chaos in their wake.

The most common external parasites found on pets are fleas. I have been relatively lucky in this regard, as I have only had to deal with fleas on my pets once. When I first moved to the city I was living in a basement of a house. My roommate’s cat would go outside and brought GIANT fleas into the apartment. They were the biggest fleas I have ever seen, and required multiple treatments to go away.

Part of the arachnid family (like spiders and mites), fleas are wingless.

Where Fleas Live

They can live outside in your backyard, thriving in the shade and moisture of grass. Fleas can also come in on your clothing and belongings, or come from daycare and boarding facilities. They can jump up to TWO FEET to latch on to their unsuspecting host, and start feeding within five minutes and can feed for up to two and a half hours! They can stay on your pet for up to five months!

Not only can fleas infest your pets, but they can infest your home as well and live in your carpets, furniture and bedding. It can only take one flea to cause an infestation given rapid reproduction habits. A single female flea can lay up to 2000 eggs over the course of her lifetime, 40-50 a day for up to two months. There are circumstances where newly developed adult fleas can hide in nests in your home for MONTHS in some cases until conditions are ideal…

Signs of Fleas On Your Pet

Among the first signs that your pet has fleas is relentless scratching. Flea bites are itchy, and you pet will likely be scratching continuously to try to get some relief. You can also look for small, flat brown objects on your pets. They can move fast though, so I have found that the best way to check is to flip your pet over and check their groin and armpit areas as fleas tend to love these spots. For a severe infestation there could be a rash, bumps and hairloss as well as potentially an unpleasant odor. Some animals also develop allergic reactions to flea bites.

In addition to being a nuisance, fleas can transmit tapeworm to dogs and people as well as spread bacterial diseases heightening the importance of treating your pet for fleas.

Ticks

Hand-in-hand with flea season comes tick season. Ticks start out small and are relatively hard to spot. They can be as small as a pin-head before latching on to you or your pet. As with fleas, they begin to get active when the weather warms up in the spring and into summer, and may be active all year around depending on where you live.

Where Ticks Live

Ticks tend to live in tall grass, shrubs, bushes and trees (fields and wooded areas in other words). They latch on and burrow their heads into the skin for a blood meal from their host. As they administer an anesthetic when they latch on, it is likely that you may not notice a bite until it the tick begins to swell with blood (as was the case last year with my cat, Bubbles). When they are full, they unlatch and fall off.

When your pet comes in, you can check for ticks by running your hands over your pet, paying particular attention to the ears, head and feet areas. They feel a lot like a skin tag when they start to get gorged on blood.

How To Remove A Tick On Your Pet

If the unthinkable happens and you happen to come across a tick, you can take steps to remove it. You will need tweezers or something similar to grip the tick, rubber gloves and a container of rubbing alcohol.

Try not to panic…like I did for a moment until I got my head cleared…Make sure to use rubber gloves, as you can potentially transfer infection to yourself or your pet by coming into contact with the tick’s blood. DON’T squeeze the body of the tick as it can cause infected fluids to move into your pet.

A partner can help you keep the pet calm and still (in my case I was alone so I did it myself). Separate the pet’s fur around the tick and use the tweezers to grip it between the body and the head at the surface of the skin.

Once you have a firm grip on the tick at the skin contact level, pull steadily straight upwards. It is VERY important not to twist or tug too quickly as it could leave parts of the tick embedded in your pet resulting in infection.

What To Do After Tick Removal

Grab your container of rubbing alcohol once the tick has been removed and deposit the tick into it. It will not only kill the tick, but you can keep it in here for a few days in case it needs to be tested for disease. For myself, I was panicking thinking I was going to drop a half fed tick onto my bed before I got it into the container…

Disinfect the wound on your pet, and watch carefully over the next few days or weeks even for any sign of infection (redness/swelling) and make sure to wash your hands and disinfect the tweezers used. Also monitor your pet’s behaviour for anything unusual. If your pet develops an infection, the tick may need to be sent for testing.

Disease From Ticks

Aside from infection at the entry point, ticks can cause a host of medical issues including blood loss and anemia, Lyme disease, tick paralysis and other infections.

Signs of Lyme disease in pets can include loss of appetite, depression, fever, swollen painful joints and kidney failure. With treatment (typically antibiotics) your pet should start to improve within a couple days. As such, it is important to consult with your veterinarian as soon as possible on finding any unusual signs following the removal of a tick.

Prevention

Prevention is the best way you can keep your pets and yourself flea and tick free. There are many options available, including topical and oral treatments. Please consult with your vet for the best option for you and your family, and we wish you a flea and tick free summer!

Another Tick…

Update: It is May 3rd. I was scratching Whiskers on the couch and found the telltale bump behind his ear. Sure enough, I part the hair and it is another TICK in my house! UGH!!! Got the tick removal gear out again…

This tick was about half the size of the one on Bubbles and boy did it move around when I exposed it. I pinned Whiskers down on the rug at the back door and went to work.

Oh Benson

I was just applying alcohol to the bite area when Benson came to see what all the commotion was about as he was yowling like crazy. He KICKED the container with the tick in it sending alcohol all up my side, onto my face and into my hair!!! OMG WHERE’S THE TICK.

Checking the floor and rug frantically I could not see the tick. Seeing as how the contents of the container were kicked all over me I PANICKED. Clothes went flying off! Hair shaken out! Checking all over myself and my clothes to find that stupid tick. Any of my neighbours behind me could have seen exactly what was going on…

I finally, finally found the tick on the rug…It is secured. Now the watching starts, as I am hoping that he won’t need to go to the vet…because we all know how that goes…In the meantime, trying to get over the creepy crawlies.

The post How To Keep Pets Safe From Fleas and Ticks first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.