When the weather gets nicer, like it has the last few days, it is so tempting to take an impromptu hike, go for a picnic at the park, or just hang out in your yard and get some landscaping done. While doing all these things, of course you will have your golden by your side! We must warn you though, our puppies do not make great gardeners!
Flea/Tick Prevention
Ok, back to talking about precautions! So, now that the weather is nice and we are wanting to spend time outside with our dogs, there are some things we should do/keep in mind. First things first—- Flea and Tick prevention! We use Nexgard on our dogs (by prescription only, ask your vet for a prescription) , which is a monthly pill that does an amazing job of keeping the fleas and ticks away! Alternatively Bravecto, which is also a pill and has an identical active ingredient as Nexgard, is said to last for 3 months at a time. If you don’t wish to go the prescription route, talk to your vet about topicals.
Lyme vaccine
Lyme precautions used to be only for those who lived in or close to New England. Lyme disease’s origin is said to be in Lyme, Connecticut in the 1970’s. Now though, pet-owners (and people!) everywhere need to be very diligent. Our poor grandpa dog, Opie, contracted Lyme disease in 2015, before a lyme vaccine was available in our area of Kentucky. He did very well after an aggressive course of antibiotics, but we don’t ever want to see any of our dogs getting it again now that there is a vaccine available.
We strongly encourage you to talk to your vet about the lyme vaccine. An initial Lyme vaccine can be given as early as 8-9 weeks of age (depending on the manufacturer).
Heartworm Prevention
Another big precaution to talk to your vet about. Monthly heartworm prevention medication is advised for all dogs. Heartworms are spread by infected mosquitoes, which can bite your pet any time of the year, but are more common during the summer. It is important to stay up to date on this because heartworm infestations can have serious or even severe side effects in dogs, such as chronic cough, extreme lethargy, and reduced oxygen and blood supply. To get your dog on heartworm medication, your vet will order a blood test prior to issuing the prescription.
