Tuesday, December 30, 2014

3 Winter Seminars to help make 2015 the "Year of the Dog"

Conneaut Lake Bark Park will again offer educational seminars for dog owners.  Seminars are open to the public and are held at the Dog House at the Bark Park.  Seminars give the pet owner an opportunity to better understand the commitment and responsibility of owning a dog.  Information about the seminars in January, February and March is listed below.  Because of limited space, pre-registration is required. Seminars are held on the Bark Park property at the new Dog House. To register call the Dog House at 814-382-2267, or Sue at 814-382-2478 or email petcem23@windstream.net. All Bark Park seminars are open to the public


Popular Doggie Massage Seminar Returns January 17th

The first Bark Park seminar for 2015 will be held on Saturday, January 17th , and is entitled Doggie Massage. This seminar is appropriate for pets of all ages. Pet massage promotes socialization, trust and bonding between the owner and the dog. Pup-pies learn owners can touch all parts of the body in a gentle way. Older pets often benefit from the relaxation and muscle warming. Athletic pets can enjoy a sports massage before and after exercise. The sessions will be given by Carol Redlawski from Erie. There will be two identical sessions, each 1 ½ hour long, one beginning at 9:00 am and the other at 10:30 am. Each session is limited to 10 participants with their dog. The cost for the seminar is $9.00 and includes coffee and donuts with lots of fun and laughter. Dogs are definitely invited to attend this seminar.



Dogs 101Bark Park Seminar February 28th


The seminar offers a great opportunity for the dog owner to find out answers to those puzzling problems on dog ownership.  Topics will include curbing bad doggie behavior, crate issues, behavior warning signs, proper play, leash aggression, socializing your dog, and most any other questions presented by those in attendance.  This is a two hour seminar, 9:00 am – 11:00 am. and will be held at the Dog House at the Bark Park on Foust Road.   The cost is $9.00 and includes plenty of coffee and donuts.  


First Aid for Dogs, a Practical Approach, March 21st

First Aid for Dogs, a basic first aid class for dog owners, will be held at the Bark Park on Saturday, March 21st, from 9:00 am  – 12:00.  Coffee and donuts will be provided.  This class will give the dog owner some basic information on dealing with various medical emergencies including CPR, bleeding, poisoning, respiration, pulse, temperature, etc.  Class participants will receive the Dog First Aid Book which includes a reference guide and CD.  Cost of the class which includes the book is $28.00  and will be taught by an American Red Cross instructor but will not include certification for participants. 

Monday, December 1, 2014

One Year Anniversary at the Dog House

Celebrating our first Year!  

It seems impossible that a whole year has passed.  Looking through all the photos from our page on Facebook reminded us of how much fun we've had.  What a wonderful thing to meet so many great dogs and their humans.  It is our honor to have a small part in your lives.


Monday, November 24, 2014

Safe and Happy Holiday Dogs

Dogs and common Holiday foods

We want you and your dog to enjoy the holiday season. The availability of food, especially for the counter surfing expert (aka your canine), can make your dog very sick and possibly kill him.
Keep a supply of vomit inducing medicine on hand if your dog eats items from our list or anything else that could harm them.  I had a black Lab mix who ate an entire bottle of ibuprofen once, it happens.


Dogs and your guests

Educate your guests and think clearly when hosting company to avoid mishaps. These tips may help.

●Secure your pet in another room if you have concerns over how they will respond to people in the house. Some dogs may feel threatened and others so excited that they can't contain themselves (literally). Nothing says "Happy Holidays" like cleaning up a pee puddle in front of company.

●Set up guidelines of kids around the pets. Let's not let any bites happen.  Children need to be taught how to interact with dogs.  

●Instruct guest on not leaving doors open , leaving gates open outside. Don't let the family bonding activity be scouring the neighborhood for a runaway. It would be awful to remember the day because your dog got hit by a car.

●Do not give table scraps to the pets. See the list of bad foods. Also, in addition to pee puddles,  you'll be cleaning up Doggy puke ... or you know something nasty from his other end.

●Don't pick up the food that might drop near the dog. Your dog may already feel uncomfortable with all the company.  Your normally happy guy may snap or bite. Try to distract him away with a safe treat or toy, then have someone pick up the food.


Other Useful Links





Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Loco's Story












The Story of Loco
By Kelly Potter
One day while i was just browsing my face book page the story of Loco appeared on the Lumberjack Rescue site in Louisiana. Loco was found by Mark who works for an oil/gas company in Shreveport, LA.  .  Mark was checking well sights when he came upon Loco on the railroad tracks, curled up, starved and alone.  The local veterinarian believed Loco would  not have lasted another day if Mark had not had the compassion to scoop up the pup into his jacket and take him home.    Mark took photos that day of the pup knowing people would not believe what he found on those tracks that day, July 16th.  Mark  contacted Cora, his co-worker, who is now fostering Loco, and Cora contacted Justin , who is the head of the Lumberjack Rescue.  Justin agreed to bring the pup into the rescue.  Loco was immediately taken to the local vet where Loco was diagnosed with Parvo and  spent approx a week receiving iv antibiotics and iv fluids. After some extended medical care, Loco was finally released to Cora   and  was given his name, Loco, because he was found on  the RR tracks for the locomotive.  The story of Loco caught my eye and my heart and soul, but Louisiana?  I talked to my sister who told me to go with my heart.  I posted daily to the rescue sight, (as many others, Loco had a huge following) and shared  my adventures of my two other dogs Hermie and Nellie and their adventures at the  Bark Park.

I found out Loco had a scheduled adopter but that the adoption had not occurred.  I scrambled and started making contacts with the rescue and knew i had to put an application in immediately. I sent a quick bio to the rescue stating what an awesome home Loco would have here  My heart sank when i was told that another application had arrived prior to mine and  with a rescue sight it is first come first serve, but that if for some reason it did not work out they would notify me.  I continued to post on the rescue site sharing pictures and stories of my pups and their adventures at the Bark Park  and posted to the rescue that i  had to admit i was sad for myself, but happy for Loco and the new adopter, and that as long as Loco was going to a wonderful forever home, that is what rescuing is all about, and i had to put my sadness aside.

But miracles can happen.  A week later I received a private message  from Cora  stating Justin wanted to talk to me.  I quickly called Justin and was told that the second adoption was not going to happen, the lady was heart- broken but asked if Loco would be able to come to me since she had seen all my post of Nellie and Hermie at the Bark Park.  I believe Justin could have heard me without a phone all the way to  Louisiana when I heard  Loco was mine.



It has been a month now and the rescue has been over flowing down south  with new dogs coming in daily which has taken up a lot of their time. They have been working with Pilots for Paws trying to get  Loco home to me,  but cannot fill all the legs of the trip.  Other avenues have been looked at and unfortunately there is always a missing link.  I reached out to the place that I call a piece of heaven, stating I needed angels to help me get my baby home. Thanks to the support and love at Conneaut Lake Bark Park Loco will make it home to Meadville.  The Bark Park has decided to initiate a new program   The Lucky Loco Foundation that  will not only help my baby boy, but other rescues in the future.    God bless the rescuers for all they do, the volunteers and for Conneaut Lake Bark Park …….for bringing my baby home. 




Kelly Potter with her two canine loves Hermie and Nellie.  We look forward to future photos of the whole family once Loco arrives!

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Promoting the Human Canine Relationship

Like Ripples in a Pond

Conneaut Lake Bark Park, Inc. wants to make Ripples in our community, like Ripples in a Pond. 

When you throw a rock into a pond, that rock makes a deep impact on the pond, and that impact then sends out ripples. The ripples start small but increase in size and eventually if the impact is deep enough the ripples will reach the outer most perimeter of the pond. 

CLBP Inc. has that potential, the potential to reach all the way to the outer perimeters of our community, potential to reach, young and old, the able and disabled, privileged and under privileged. With your help, CLBP Inc. can achieve this.

The relationship between a person and a dog or a family and a dog can make a difference in our community. But without proper knowledge, preparation, and training, this relationship can become a source of hardship, stress and frustration. Sometimes the results are disastrous and lead to the dog being tied outside, mistreated, abandoned or given over to shelters.

With the proper preparation, knowledge and training, this can become a powerful relationship, a source of enrichment and a source of stress relief resulting in life altering changes. This is the relationship that Conneaut Lake Bark Park, Inc. wants to promote.

Lacey
This is the story of one such dog, a dog whose love reached far beyond her family.

Her name was Lacey. She was the smallest in a litter of 12 Golden Retrievers and I was the person blessed to acquire her. When I brought her home, she weighed less then 5 pounds. I didn't really have any "dog knowledge" and there was no Bark Park for me. I struggled in the beginning with a puppy that did normal puppy things, like chew and destroy, bite and bark, and who was almost uncontrollable to walk on a leash. The initial impact was not what I was expecting when I brought this cute little puppy home, with visions of playfulness, cuddling and companionship. In the beginning the stress and frustration almost caused an early demise of this little puppy, and it created tension and arguments within my family. It was 9 months into this relationship before I found the help that I needed.

The First Ripple was education and training. The result was the beginning of a bond between this puppy and myself that was to last a lifetime
.
The Second Ripple moved beyond me, now to my family. A dog who brought laughter, stress relief, and love to all of us.  A furry, four legged dog, who taught us how to love differently, unconditionally and with understanding and compassion.

The Third Ripple moved beyond my family as Lacey and I became involved in obedience competitions. She impressed those around her, in spite of the fact that she wasn't the "prettiest" Golden.
Photo by Maria Firkaly

The Fourth Ripple occurred when we learned about Therapy Dogs and went through the required testing to become a Registered Therapy dog team.

The Fifth Ripple brought changes in our whole county when Paws Hand Delivered therapy dogs became reborn.

The Sixth Ripple reached out farther than I ever could have imagined. Through our involvement with Paws Hand Delivered, countless peoples' lives were changed forever and smiles appeared everywhere she went. She was a born comedian and she left her paw prints on many hearts as she visited disadvantaged, sick, and elderly citizens throughout our county.

The Ripples that followed were bigger and more far reaching than I knew.

You see, when Lacey was not yet 9 years old she was diagnosed with a type of liver cancer. The vet informed me that she would probably only survive for about 2 weeks and would become very ill. It did not take long before people heard of her illness. My phone rang at least twice a day with someone, who I didn't even really know, telling me they were thinking of us and praying for us. They would share a story of how Lacey had an impact on them, or someone they loved. My mail box filled with cards of care and concern.

But Lacey wasn't done making Ripples. She defied the odds and she survived. No, "survived" isn't the right word. She lived fully for two years and two months beyond that diagnosis. Her coat remained shiny, and with her tail wagging she continued to visit people in nursing homes, hospitals, schools, and church camps. She continued to teach love and compassion beyond our own circumstances to those around her. She taught my veterinarian the power of the love and the strength of the bond between person and dog. I know this because he wrote me a letter after she passed away.

This year marks 6 years that Lacey has been gone, and I still will encounter someone who remembers her and they will share a story of how she touched a life.

None of this story would have been possible without the help of a friend who opened my eyes to what you can do with your dog. Not everyone has a friend like this. Trust me I struggled for a long time before I found the help that I needed.

Now, with Conneaut Lake Bark Park, the education, training, knowledge and opportunities are available to anyone and everyone. Not every dog is created to be a Therapy dog, but every dog has something to give, if people just understand how to achieve it.
  
With the creation of CLBP, and its resources, we have the ability to create healthy productive dog/person relationships, which then have the potential to reach out to people around us in ways beyond our imagination. We have the ability to reduce the number of dogs that are abandoned, put down or put into shelters, because we now have the means to educate, train and equip both dog and person.

The development of Doggie Day at the Bark Park has greatly enhanced this process. It provides the working person the opportunity to acquire a dog or puppy and to know that while they are at work, that furry family member is being cared for, and is learning manners and getting the exercise it requires. So at the end of the day when the person is tired from work, they can pick up their dog and the dog too has had a full day, and the two of them can return home to the enjoyment of each other's company.

Pearl and Zoey at Doggie Day Care at the Conneaut Lake Bark Park.
Doggie day care also provides a secure place for the older dog, who might need that special attention, or for the dog of a person who must undergo medical treatment for long hours several days a week.

There are many dogs with the potential to impact on their owner, their family and their community.  With the services Conneaut Lake Bark Park can provide, who knows, we might go from making Ripples in a Pond, to as far reaching as a Wave in the Ocean.


Article by Robin Peterson

For more information about:

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Come Check out Lure Coursing at the Bark Park

Bark Park Lure Coursing Fun Day 


If your dog loves to run and chase, lure coursing may be the perfect sport.  To find out, come to our fun day sponsored by the Akron/Canton Terrier Club on Sunday June 22nd starting at 9am. For more event details visit the event on our website or the  Event flyer.



Find the Akron/ Canton Terrier Club on Facebook






Lure coursing began as a humane alternative to live game coursing in which dogs hunted live animals, like rabbits, by sight and not by scent.  In present day lure coursing, dogs chase an artificial lure pulled by a mechanical pulley around a course designed to mimic the zig zag movement of a fleeing rabbit.











The Importance of Poop part 3



Keeping an eye on your dog's behavior and well, their poop, is important.  This is the last article in the Importance of Poop series by our Dog House Facility manager Melanie Redford.


Tape Worm.
Tapeworms are long, flat worms that attach themselves to your dog’s (or cat's) intestines. A tapeworm body consists of multiple parts, or segments, each with its own reproductive organs. Tapeworm infections are usually diagnosed by finding segments—which appear as small white worms that may look like grains of rice or seeds—on the rear end of your dog, in your dog’s feces, or where your dog lives and sleeps.
There are several different kinds, or species, of tapeworms that can infect your dog, each with stage(s) in a different intermediate (in-between) host, which the dog eats to become infected. Dipylidium caninum is a tapeworm that uses fleas as its intermediate host, whereas Taenia and Echinococcus species use small rodents (mice, rats, squirrels), rabbits, or large animals (such as deer or sheep) as their intermediate hosts.

How will tapeworms affect my dog?
Dogs with tapeworm infections usually are not sick and do not lose weight from the worms. Contrary to popular belief, dogs that “scoot” on their rear ends are generally doing it for reasons other than having tapeworms, such as blocked or irritated anal sacs (pouches located in your dog’s rear end) or other skin inflammation of the rear.
How do I prevent my dog from getting tapeworms?
Image courtesy of Tina Phillips / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Try to keep your dog from coming in contact with intermediate hosts that contain tapeworm larvae. Because fleas are an intermediate host for the most common kind of tapeworm, consistent, safe, and effective flea control is an essential prevention measure.
If you think your dog is infected with tapeworms, call your veterinarian for an appointment to get an accurate diagnosis and safe, effective treatment options.
To prevent Taenia and Dipylidium tapeworm infections in dogs, administer a monthly heartworm preventive that contains a drug specific for tapeworm infections. For more information about human infections, please visit www.cdc.gov/parasites.

Can humans be harmed by tapeworms?
Certain tapeworms found in dogs or cats may cause serious disease in humans. Fortunately, these tapeworms (Echinococcus species) are uncommon in the United States and are readily treated by prescriptions available from your veterinarian. There are rare reports of Dipylidium (a common tapeworm in pets) infections in children, but these infections are not associated with significant disease.

Hook Worms.
Similar to tapeworms and roundworms, hookworms are intestinal parasites that live in the digestive system of your dog (or cat). The hookworm attaches to the lining of the intestinal wall and feeds on your dog’s blood. Its eggs are ejected into the digestive tract and pass into the environment through your dog’s feces.
Larvae (young hookworms) that hatch from hookworm eggs live in the soil. These larvae can infect your dog simply through contact and penetration of the skin and through the dog eating the larvae when they ingest dirt or during their routine licking (cleaning).
How will hookworms affect my dog?
Hookworms suck blood and therefore cause internal blood loss. They are a serious threat to dogs, especially young puppies that may not survive the blood loss without transfusions. In older animals the blood loss may be more chronic, and the pet may have diarrhea and show weight loss.
If you think your dog is infected with hookworms, call your veterinarian to schedule an appointment for evaluation, diagnosis, and safe, effective treatment.
How do I prevent my dog from getting hookworms?
Similar to steps for prevention of other intestinal parasites, it is essential to keep your dog’s surroundings clean and prevent the dog from being in contaminated areas.
Image courtesy of tiverylucky / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Puppies should be treated for hookworms at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age with a deworming medication you can get from your veterinarian. This frequent treatment schedule is recommended due to the very high rate of hookworm infection in newborn puppies. Most monthly heartworm preventatives include a drug to prevent to treat and prevent infections so additional deworming medications are usually not required if the dog is reliably treated with a heartworm preventive. Fecal examinations should be conducted 2 to 4 times during the first year of life and 1 to 2 times per year in adults. Nursing mothers should be treated along with their puppies.
Consult your veterinarian for safe and effective prevention and treatment options.
Can humans be harmed by hookworms?
Some hookworms of dogs can infect humans by penetrating the skin. This is most likely to occur when walking barefoot on the beach, working in the garden or other areas where pets may deposit feces. Infection usually results in an itching sensation at the point where the larvae enter the skin and visible tracks on the skin. The condition is easily treated but can cause mild to extreme discomfort in the affected person. One species of hookworm that infects dogs is known to develop in the human intestine, too, where it may cause disease.
Whip Worms
The whipworm is one of the four most common intestinal parasites of dogs. Whipworms reside in the cecum, which is inside your dog’s body where the small intestine and large intestine meet.
Dogs become infected with whipworms by swallowing infective whipworm eggs in soil or other substances that may contain dog feces.
How will whipworms affect my dog?
Dogs that are infected with a few whipworms may not have any signs of infection. More severe infections can cause bloody diarrhea. If an infected dog is not treated, then severe whipworm infection can cause serious disease and even death.
How do I prevent my dog from getting whipworms?
Whipworm infections can be prevented by removing your dog’s feces regularly from your yard. Because whipworms are sometimes more difficult to diagnose than other intestinal parasites, it is important that you take your dog to see a veterinarian at least annually for a properly conducted fecal examination (test of your dog’s feces).
Your veterinarian can prescribe safe and effective products that treat and control whipworm infections.



Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Top 5 Bark Park Events for June 2014

Top 5 Bark Park Events for June, 2014 


1.       Goods and Services Auction  - Even though this event is not scheduled until  Sunday, June 29th, at 1:30 at the Bark Park, we need everyone’s help to make this a big, successful  Bark Park community event.    This is a great opportunity for Bark Park members, pet therapy handlers, and everyone who has a dog to get involved in a fun community event.  Everyone has a talent, something they can do, a hobby, and favorite pastime.  Now you can share that special talent with others and help the Bark Park raise money to continue with community events, for improvements to the outside Bark Park property, to support community events,  for educational programs, etc.   A member of Paws Hand Delivered or the Bark Park  Board of Advisors will be calling all Bark Park members and PHD members to ask for a donation of a service or even the donation of an item. In addition, you must come to the event and see what bargains are available.  We already have people donating to paint a room, take people on a champagne pontoon boat ride around the lake, a kayak trip on the Geneva swamp, piano lessons, or admission for four to Splash Lagoon just to name a few.    A list of all items to be auctioned will be available the first week of June so we need your donation of a service or item as soon as possible.  If you already know of something to donate, just send me an email at petcem23@windstream.net and we can finalize the information.  So, get involved with this fun event.  And remember, be sure to come to the event and see who bids on the service you are donating, or come and see what bargain you can try to win or be entered in a few special drawings during the event.    For more information, contact Sue at 814-382-2478  .
     
2.        Community Flea Market – Clear out all those items in the attic and cellar that you are no longer using and purchase a table at the Community Flea Market, June 7th, at the Bark Park.  The cost is $12.00 for a table 18’x20’.   If you don’t want the hassle of having your own table, donate your items to the Bark Park table.  Donations can be dropped off every day at the trailer located behind the Dog House.  Finally, come and join the fun and find that hidden treasure waiting for you to discover.  Hours are 8:00 – 2:00, $.50 per person admission fee, refreshments available to purchase.


3.       Canine Carnival – Re-scheduled for June 7th, and will occur at the same time as the Community Flea Market.  General information and schedule available online here.

4.       Training classes begin outdoors at the Bark Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 3+4.  Contact Katara Peters, Groovy Pooch training,  at 814-763-5968 for more information and to sign up.

5.       Lure cursing is coming to the Bark Park on Sunday June 22nd.  Dock diving is also scheduled for that day.   Every dog is welcome to try this exciting dog performance sport.  More information will be available online or contact Melanie at the Dog House, 814-382-2267. 

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Why we should de-worm our dogs. Part 2: Heart Worms

Our Dog House manager, Melanie has contributed a series on the importance of de-worming and the importance of picking up the poop your dog leaves behind. 
Why we should de-worm our dogs. Part 2: Heart Worms

There are several types of worms that can affect our canine companions.
  • Round worms (being the most common)
  • Hook Worms
  • Whip Worms,
  • Tape Worms 
  • Heart Worm
 We will discuss Heart Worms  as part two of the series.

HEARTWORMS

Heartworms are common in dogs throughout the United States (cats can have them, too). They are among the most damaging parasites in dogs but they are almost 100 percent preventable. Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes and, once mature, they live in the heart and large blood vessels of the lungs. Adult heartworms can measure over one foot in length.

How will heartworms affect my dog?
The heartworm larvae deposited by the feeding mosquito eventually migrate to the chambers of the heart or into the vessels of the lungs. Once in the heart, the worms can affect blood flow throughout the body. Heartworm infection can affect many different organs of the dog—heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver, for example—so symptoms may be varied. Most commonly though, signs of heart or lung disease are present. A veterinarian may suspect that a dog has been infected if an active animal tires easily or shows shortness of breath or coughing. Early in the disease, dogs are often asymptomatic. Signs are often progressive over weeks to months and untreated, heartworm infection can be fatal.
Testing for heartworm infection
Blood tests are most commonly used to diagnose heartworm infection in dogs. An in-house screening test run by your veterinarian may be followed by a confirmatory blood test sent to an outside lab. Other tests frequently employed in determining the extent and severity of heartworm infection in a dog include blood tests of kidney and liver function, x-rays of the chest and an ultrasound (sonogram) of the heart. Once infection is confirmed, your veterinarian will discuss the most appropriate treatment for your pet.
How do I prevent my dog from getting heartworms?
Heartworms have been found in dogs in all 50 states so all dogs are at risk, even those animals that primarily live indoors. Fortunately, with medication, heartworm infection is almost always preventable.
Ask your veterinarian about heartworm prevention. Preventive treatment should begin at 8 weeks of age in puppies and after tests have been conducted in older dogs to determine if your dog has already been infected. An annual blood test should be run to confirm the dog continues to be negative for heartworms. If your dog does have heartworms, your veterinarian can advise you about treatment options.
Can humans contract heartworm disease?

Isolated and rare cases of human infection have been reported, however, the heartworm is generally not considered a risk to human health and direct transmission of heartworm from dogs to humans is not possible.

The Importance of Poop: Round Worm Risks for dogs and humans

The importance of Poop
Poop is very important to us at the Bark Park and if you get away from a visit, without your dog leaving a present on the property, well frankly we are amazed.  Picking up the poop avoids messes on shoes and paws, keeps the play areas smelling nice and most of all helps keep your dog (and you) healthy.
Our Dog House manager, Melanie has contributed a series on worms and the importance of picking up the poop.
Why we should de-worm our dogs. Part 1: Round Worms
There are several types of worms that can affect our canine companions.
  • Round worms (being the most common)
  • Hook Worms
  • Whip Worms,
  • Tape Worms 
  • Heart Worm

 We will discuss Round Worms  as part one of the series.
Round Worms.
Roundworms are the most common of the parasitic worms found inside a dog. Almost all dogs become infected with them at some time in their lives, usually as puppies. Roundworms may be contracted in different ways, making them easy to spread and hard to control.
Your dog may be infected with roundworms from the time it is born because often the mother passes the worms to the puppy while it is still in her body. Roundworms can also develop in a puppy after it is born when the puppy eats larvated eggs from the environment or drinks worm larvae (young worms) in the mother's milk. Another way roundworms are passed is when roundworm larvae are present in the tissues of a mouse or another small mammal and the puppy eats the animal.
How will roundworms affect my dog?
Adult roundworms live in the affected dog's intestines. Many dogs do not have signs of infection; however, dogs with major roundworm infections, especially puppies, show diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, dull hair, and a potbellied appearance. The dog may cough if the roundworms move into the lungs.
You may notice the adult roundworms in your dog's feces or vomit. They will appear white or light brown in color and may be several inches long.
How do I prevent my dog from getting roundworms?
Because roundworms can enter your dog's body in many different ways, it is essential to keep your dog's living area clean, remove feces regularly, and, if possible, prevent your dog from eating wild animals that may carry roundworms.
To get rid of roundworms that are passed from the mother dog, puppies should be treated at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age and then receive a preventive treatment monthly. Fecal (stool) examinations should be conducted 2 to 4 times during the first year of life and 1 or 2 times each year in adults. Nursing mothers should be kept on monthly preventive and treated along with their puppies to decrease the risk of transmission.
Many heartworm preventives also control roundworms. Ask your veterinarian about prevention and treatment choices that are appropriate for your dog.
Can humans be harmed by roundworms?
Roundworms do pose a significant risk to humans. Contact with contaminated soil or dog feces can result in human ingestion and infection. Roundworm eggs may accumulate in significant numbers in the soil where pets deposit feces.
Once infected, the worms can cause eye, lung, heart and neurological problems in people. Children should not be allowed to play where animals have passed feces. Individuals who have direct contact with soil that may have been contaminated by cat or dog feces should wear gloves or wash their hands immediately.


Check with your Veterinarian

Always talk to your veterinarian if you see or suspect round worms have infected your dog or your child's physician if you have concerns about a round worm infection and your children have been exposed.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Easter Beagle Cookies

When my oldest boy was one, he had this hopping Snoopy Easter Beagle.  It was one of those things we had to take EVERYWHERE.  Luckily that experience has not turned me off adorable Beagles in bunny ears.

If you love Beagles in bunny ears, too, these special treats might be perfect for your Easter party!

Found at partypinching.com and so adorable!  Visit the site for more cute ideas!