FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 20, 2020 • PETS • THE QUEENS COURIER 31
pets
How to help keep your dog
protected and happy this summer
With the country beginning to reopen,
don’t forget about your pet. While you
return to your favorite summer activities
including hiking and swimming with
your dogs, it is important to be aware of a
few things fi rst. Senior Technical Services
Veterinarian at Bayer Animal Health, Dr.
Zach Miller, shared these four simple tips
to keep your pets happy and active in the
coming months:
• Transition your dog back into a normal
routine - Many Americans have been
home due to COVID-19 restrictions, in
turn making their pets very happy. Over
time, your dog may have become used to
the non-stop attention, so reverting back
to our normal schedules where many
will be out of the house more oft en may
cause separation anxiety among pets. To
help ease your dog into the transition,
start by creating a predictable routine
and slowly getting them used to you not
being home. Grab your keys and leave
the house at the same time each morning
for a short period of time. Th is will help
them get used to the action of you leaving,
without going cold turkey. As time
goes on, you can stay away from home
longer, until your pet no longer experiences
anxiety.
• Don’t forget to stay on top of fl ea
and tick prevention - During the summer
months, pet owners tend to bring
their pets along for their many outdoor
adventures. While enjoying the
great outdoors, whether you’re on a
hike or going for an aft ernoon walk,
it’s important to help protect your pets
from pests including fl eas and ticks. A
recent survey conducted by the makers
of Seresto® found that nearly half
(48%) of pet owners who use a monthly
fl ea and tick medication forgot to apply
the treatment at least once over the past
six months. Th ese lapses in treatment
can open pets up for new infestations
or cause expensive treatment setbacks.
A great way to overcome these forgotten
doses is to instead use a fl ea and tick
preventative that doesn’t require monthly
application - like a Seresto® collar,
which prevents fl eas and ticks for eight
continuous months. Th is eliminates the
hassle of remembering and applying
monthly treatments and creates no mess
because of its non-greasy formula.
• Be cautious of stagnant bodies of
water - It’s natural to want to let your
pets play in a body of water in warmer
temperatures, especially if you begin
venturing out for hikes or camping.
However, many pet owners are unaware
of the danger that swimming in stagnant
ponds or lakes may pose for animals.
Blue-green algae, commonly found in
stagnant bodies of water, can be potentially
lethal to animals when ingested,
causing particularly catastrophic harm
to their liver. As a pet owner, it’s best to
make sure your dog avoids drinking or
playing in standing water with a visible
fi lm on its surface. Help your dog cool
down by bringing plenty of water along
with you instead!
• Reach out to your vet to fi nd out about
any new protocols - Because COVID-
19 restrictions vary by state, one of the
most important things to do as a pet
owner is proactively reach out to your
local vet clinic to fi nd out more about
their current policies. If you have an
emergency, are they accepting walk-ins
or are they by appointment only? Are
they currently doing wellness exams? By
taking the time to fi nd out protocols of
these locations, you and your pet will be
prepared in case of an emergency.
Th ere are still many unknowns about
what the future will hold. Keeping your
pet happy and protected doesn’t have to
be one of them!
— BPT
/WWW.QNS.COM
