Dear Ms. PAWS: Q. Is it a good idea to put a collar on my puppy? A. It is usually not a good idea to put a collar on a puppy unless you know there is no chance your puppy will ever get away from you and become lost. Since puppies like to dig and some are great escape artists, it is probably not worth the risk. As the puppy grows older it will outgrow the collar and if you are not there to loosen it or replace it, your puppy could be caught in a serious to disastrous situation. A collar imbedded in the neck is not a pretty sight and usually requires the services of a veterinarian. It’s easier to just forego the collar in the first place.
Dear Ms. PAWS: Q. I’ve heard that dogs and cats do not perspire and that they cool their bodies by panting. Is this true? A. Dogs and cats do perspire but only on the pads of their feet. Panting will release some heat, but there are simple ways to cool them down. You can moisten their paws with a cloth dipped in cold water. This will make them feel cooler immediately. If they have overexerted themselves on a hot day, a few tablespoons of Pedialyte added to their water bowl will replace any lost essential minerals. You can also rub their tummies with an ice pack. Spritzing their paws and ears with a plant mister filled with cool water is also helpful. Most cats have an aversion to water, but most will conclude that it feels so good that they will put up with it. Extreme exposure to high temperatures requires an immediate trip to the veterinarian.
Dear Ms. PAWS: Q. Is it O.K. to take my pet with me when I run quick errands? A. In the summer time it is never O.K. to take your pet with you unless you can take him with you inside on your stops. Even if you were a track star, you could not move fast enough. It takes 2 to 3 minutes – even in the shade with the windows partially down – for a car to reach killer temperatures. This is also true if you put your pet in the back of your pick-up. The sun beating down on him will over heat him quickly and the bed or bedliner will become so hot your pet will not be able to stand. If you think he is jumping around because he is happy, it is really because his feet are burning! It’s much safer to leave him sleeping in the shade of a big tree or inside in air conditioning.
Dear Ms. Paws: Q. friend of mine said she heard that a couple of tablespoons of brewer’s yeast with garlic will keep the fleas away from my pets. Is this true? A. I wish it was that easy! A couple of years ago one of the pet Web sites conducted a survey asking if anyone had found something that controlled fleas and ticks besides Frontline or Advantage. These products are usually available only from a veterinarian and are quite expensive if you have several pets. Dozens of people wrote in to describe a multitude of home remedies they had tried including brewer’s yeast.. None of them was effective.
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