Alternative Heartworm Prevention

After having my dogs’ blood taken for their heartworm screen, I was on pins and needles once again as I awaited the results. Getting the call that says our dogs are heartworm- and tickborne disease–free is always such a relief—especially because we don’t use our vet clinic’s recommended preventative medication.

We had put our beloved previous dog on Revolution every year, believing it to be the most responsible thing for us to do for her health). But when we adopted two dogs from TAGS, we learned about the risks of giving our dogs these medications, and after doing independent research online, we decided not to put our dogs on them. For the past two years, we have instead taken the following nonmedicinal (nontoxic) precautions:

• Feeding a high-quality food and supplementing with fruits and vegetables
• Using Natural Defense spray (or a homemade spray—recipe below) to repel mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks
• Giving them garlic and brewer's yeast tablets daily
• Putting black walnut drops into their food three times a week, as recommended by Dr. Marty Goldstein in his book The Nature of Animal Healing
• Installing a Mosquito Magnet in the backyard to keep the bug population down
• Avoiding buggy trails and woods, particularly in the early morning and at dusk

Scary displays and photos like this in vet clinics
frighten pet owners into doing whatever is
recommended to prevent heartworm. And rarely
are owners told heartworm is treatable.

Last year, a colleague who had given her two beautiful English bulldogs their Revolution doses faithfully every month the previous summer learned that one of her dogs had contracted heartworm regardless of the preventative medication. The cure? Much larger doses of the same active ingredient that’s in the prevention and six weeks’ crate rest except for very brief leashed excursions outside just to attend to “business.” Her experience of the prevention not working has made me feel even better about my decision not to use it.

Nevertheless, I admit, I will be on pins and needles once again next year as I await the results of my dogs' heartworm tests. Until then, we'll keep on doing what's worked so far: focusing on good nutrition and using homeopathic options.

Have any of you had experiences—good or bad—with heartworm preventatives or homeopathic options? If so, please share in the comments!

Homemade Bug Repellent for Dogs

Ingredients:

Lemon

2 cups boiling water

Branch of fresh rosemary

3 drops tea tree oil

Method:

Thinly slice lemon and place the slices in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over lemons. Add branch of fresh rosemary and tea tree oil. Let sit for 24 hours. Strain into a spray bottle. Avoid spraying in eyes or on mucous membranes. 

Note: I keep the bulk of this solution in the fridge and only small amounts in a spray bottle because it has grown mould when not refrigerated.

Why I Signed Up for The Furry Friends 5K

I am a wannabe long-distance runner. I like running because of all the usual reasons: it's good exercise; it gives you an endorphin boost; you can do it anytime you want; it's free; you can go alone and reflect or go with a friend and make it social.... The list goes on. 

But honestly? I also really like it because it doesn't involve catching, throwing, volleying, kicking, dribbling or any of the other hand–eye coordination–related factors surrounding athletic activity that plagued me in gym class. With running, it’s okay if you lack coordination because as long as you get out there and put one foot in front of the other, you can still be considered athletic. You just might have more mud on your calves than others from kicking yourself.

The problem I have with running is finding motivation to actually go and do it.  However, last summer I discovered that if I registered for a running event in advance and set a goal, that was motivation enough to keep me running regularly as the date approached.

A friend and I signed up for a 5K race in May, and another one in October, with the idea that the May race would keep us motivated throughout the end of winter and into spring, and the October one would allow us to improve on the May results. It worked! I ran regularly from February until October, which I never would have done without knowing that race day was looming.

Now that spring is here again (apparently), I’m ready to sign up for more, and one race I am really excited about is the Furry Friends 5K on June 2 in Whitby. Not only is it in the Durham Region, which is great (I went to Toronto for both races last year, which meant more travel time and larger crowds), but dogs are invited too!

Yes, dogs! The Furry Friends 5K is a unique charity race for people and their furry friends. It’s also quite flexible: participants can run or walk, with or without a dog. Collecting pledges (online or in-person) from friends and family is encouraged, but it is not a requirement. The event is also stroller-friendly so non-furry babies can come, too!

The Furry Friends 5K, now in its third year, is organized by a group of animal lovers who find generous corporate and individual sponsors to cover as many expenses as possible so that any extra monies from registration fees can go directly to local animal shelters of their choosing. Additional fundraising efforts the day of and donations have also made this event a great success in the past.

This year, The Animal Guardian Society has been chosen as one of the animal rescues that will be receiving proceeds from the Furry Friends 5K, and our volunteer team could not be more excited to be a part of this event. Many of our adoptable TAGS dogs will also be there to enjoy a morning of exercise and fun.

Photos courtesy of the Furry Friends 5K Facebook Page

Come run with us! Visit the Furry Friends 5K website to register, donate, volunteer or become an official sponsor of the event. Curious about what a race with dogs looks like? Check out The Furry Friends 5K Facebook page and view pictures from last year's event! 

All Dogs Are Working Dogs

Libby

When I was speaking with my sister recently about her Yorkie, Libby, who is almost two years old, she was telling me how she finds Libby’s typically fearless terrier behaviour endearing. I got a sense that she believed it was just Libby specifically who has this “attitude,” so I thought I would make her aware of the background of Yorkshire terribles terriers.

My sister looked completely shocked as I told her about the creation of the Yorkie to hunt rats in cotton barns and textile factories of Yorkshire, England. In typical older-sister fashion, she brushed off my history tutorial and refused to believe her fluffy little Libby had been meticulously designed for mass murder.

Many people fail to realize that their dog was created for a purpose—be it ratting, hunting, retrieving, herding or, in many cases, just being outright adorable. What may seem to us like a quirky behaviour or habit may actually be from the breed’s past.

Roxie, a JRT, collecting her hot dogs into a neat and tidy pile.

I grew up with a bichon frise, a dog derived from the Portuguese water dog.  Apt swimmers, PWDs would retrieve the fishing nets for fishermen out on the fishing boats. Only the ones who did the best job returning with the nets were continually bred. So heaven forbid my bichon greet me without a present! It turned into a fun game when returning home—what is he going to bring us? (Casper was a good boy and usually brought us one of his toys.)

Other than the history lesson, this information comes in handy when considering, is your dog happy?

My dog Casper, at work as a therapy dog.

As humans, we usually consider our dogs’ mental health in terms of giving them the things that they seem to like—such things as the occasional opportunity to have their head out the car window, a play date with a friend, or a favourite treat. However, is this true happiness for them? Or is it the one thing we humans habitually dread that they are longing for in those restless dreams? Do our dogs want jobs?

I am convinced that there is no happier living thing on earth than a Labrador retriever carrying a stick on a walk. These jobs do not necessarily have to be breed specific, but usually any activity that requires dogs to use their minds will make them feel most useful.

Hogan, mid-jump at agility. This photo was taken from his blog.
http://www.wordwitlox.com/dogblog/2013/01/hogans-heading-to-his-first-agility-trial/

Activities like agility are great for energetic dogs, and they don’t necessarily have to be overtly athletic. And for the social butterflies out there, I highly suggest therapy dog programs. Nothing is more therapeutic than a dog. Absolutely nothing. 

Boomer, still available for adoption. I don't know if he has any retriever in him,
but anything resembling a tennis ball gets his attention.