Oh no! Flea Season

Dog ownership isn't always pretty! It is that time of year the fleas and ticks are out. YUCK!

Everyone knows what they are. Once a dog gets them they are no fun for everyone involved. Did you know our canine friends can get tapeworms from fleas? So not only does your poor pooch have these nasty itchy little bugs on him/her, but they may be in danger of getting Tapeworm! (We'll get to the Tapeworm in our Worm post. Yes, we cover all the fun topics here.)

Also, once fleas get in your house, well, lets just say, they are the like the house guest that over stays their welcome. And if you have multiple dogs, that is all the more fun for the fleas.

Your blogger doesn't recommend a flea collar.

-If you have a dog that gets bored when you are not home, they may find a way to get the collar off and decide to make in to a chew toy!

-Young children may pet the dog and cuddle with them. Now they have been exposed to the toxin on the flea collar.

-Their is debate about their effectiveness.

The best way to prevent your dog from bringing fleas in to your house is to give your dog flea prevention. Your local vet can help you decide what option is right for you dog.

Their are holistic as well as traditional ways to keep you fur-kid flea free.

Here is to a flea free season!

Great Lakes Weim Rescue

http://www.darwinvets.com/dogs/fleas.htm

http://frontline.us.merial.com/home/

http://k9advantix.petparents.com/

Heartbreak

OK, so the heart isn't really broken, but Heartworm is a very serious and deadly condition.

GLWR has seen their fair share of Heartworm positive dogs.

Our recent addition, Violet, is positive and will be under going treatment.

Her former owner did not give her preventative and due to this reason she will now undergo the painful procedure to rid her of the worms.

All is takes is one pesky mosquito to spred Heartworm. Every state in the lower 48 states has reported cases of Heartworm every year. So if your dog is from another state they could have still been exposed.

A yearly blood test can help rule out the disease as well as prevention. Your local Vet office should carry at least one brand you can purchase. Make sure your dogs weight is recorded accurately so the proper dosage is given.

A dog that was once Heartworm positive, they like any other dog, must stay on prevention for the rest of their lives. They are just as susceptible as getting it again as any other dog. They do not build up an immunity nor is it a condition once they get it they will never get it again.

As serious as the disease is, those that are treated, can go on to live long, happy, and health lives.

Websites:

http://glwrvi.blogspot.com/

http://www.homevet.com/petcare/heartwor.html

Ewwww!!! What is that???

One of the first things many people notice about Weims, after their color, are their ears. Long and beautiful! Soft as velvet.

But inside those ears it's a differnt story all together! Routine cleaning, like with any breed, is imperative. As with their Pointer cousins sometimes Weims can have an over growth of yeast in their ears. This can lead to an undesirable scent.

If this is something that you notice first clean each ear. After doing so give you Weim a dollop or two of PLAIN yogurt on their food. Not only will they love it, but this will help clear up their "yeasty" ears.

Of course the rest of your pack, even those without yeasty ears, would enjoy this treat too. Plain yogurt also aids in their digestion.

As always if your sweetie pie has food allergies, you must be extremely careful if you chose to introduce a food they have never had in the past.

You may also want to take your Weim in to see his or her Dr. They can evaluate their ears and prescribe any necessary medication they may need.

And look at it this way, they are easier then Basset or Bloodhound ears! But on our blog much of this info and health care help with other breeds as well.

Stay Warm!

Great Lakes Weim Rescue

Holiday...

Wishing everyone a beautiful Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivis, Kwanza and hoping your 2009 is special.

Your Friends,

The Great Lakes Weim Family.

Mistletoe...Say It Ain't So!

No kissing your pooch under the mistletoe??!! Yes, its true mistletoe is poisonous to our furry friends, cats as well.

Also don't forget to put the poinsettia's out of sight for cats and dogs too!

One of our volunteers decided to put feathered bird ornaments in her live tree. She however did not think about how tempting this would be to her 3 hunting breeds, including a Weim. CRASH!!! The fake feathered birds proved to me much to tempting! So yes, live trees are fine with dogs, but you may want to omit the feathered ornaments! Hers have since been retired.

For a complete list of toxic plants please refer to: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_toxicplants#P

Your Friends at GLWR.

Brrrrrrrrr...It's Cold Outside!

It is that time of year! The wind and snow are here, or on it's way if you don't have any yet.

Remember just because you're 4 legged family member has a built in fur coat they get cold too. Of course they still have to go out and do their business in the yard or kennel run, but please limit their exposure to the frigid cold and elements. Also, shelter outside will make a more pleasant experience if they like to be in the cold or outside.

Watch for sharp ice too! It cannot be avoided with the snow, rain, their running through the yard, but watch for injured paw pads. If this does happen, clean the area and wrap it, seek medical advice if bleeding does not stop.

This time of year is for celebrating and enjoying time with family and friends. How about considering opening your door to a furry friend that needs somewhere to stay while they are waiting for their fur ever home? They may not be able to give you a gift, but they sure can brighten you holidays!

Happy Holidays,

Great Lakes Weim Rescue

Puppy Mills..

Sigh...Puppy mills* are still big business. This time of year pet stores advertise puppies as Christmas presents. Sadly most of those puppies came from puppy mills and many end up at shelters once people realize the breed isn't the right one for them. The lucky ones make it out of the shelter and into rescue. But usually come Feb-April rescues are overwhelmed with Christmas presents that are no longer wanted and dogs that did not preform well hunting.

Also many puppies that come from puppy mills are sick, do not have proper socialization, it isn't always known who their mom and dad are since their are so many litters on the ground at once, sometimes siblings are bred together, they are handled harshly, females are over bred and tossed aside when they are no longer "useful". And the conditions are not healthy conditions for dogs, much less a puppy.

Yes these puppies do need homes, but when you purchase a pet store puppy the puppy mill makes a large profit and it encourages them to breed more puppies and the cycle continues.

Puppies are cute and very lovable, and a lot of work. If you are looking for a puppy their are many in rescues and shelters. Rescues and sheltrs work on a very small budget with little to no profit whereas puppy mills profit greatly.

Also don't forget the dogs in shelters during the holiday season that need homes too. Old dogs make excellent companions as well.

Some of the dogs in rescues were puppy mill dogs, rescues get them healthy, socialized them and showed them love, trust, and the joys of human and dog companionship.

We encourage you to research the breed you'd like to adopt whether it be a Weim or not. Make sure the breed is right for your family and lifestyle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppy_mills

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/puppymil.html