Stitching by Starlight

Dog flea control and management requires an integrated approach. For effective treatment both the host animal and the environment must be treated at the same time. Control of fleas on the pet generally requires the use of insecticides. Although flea combs can remove some fleas, combing should be thought of as a method for detecting fleas rather than removing them.

If an animal is to be treated for other conditions besides fleas, such as expression of anal glands, these procedures should be done before the insecticide application to minimize insecticide contact with interior mucosal membranes.

A wide range of insecticides are available for flea control. The pyrethrins and pyrethroids have the lowest mammalian toxicity. These insecticides come in many formulations including shampoo, dust and powder, mousse, aerosol and non-aerosol mist or spray, dip, spot-on, roll-on and collar. Organophosphate drugs for oral use are available, by prescription from veterinarians.

In addition, some on-animal formulations contain insect growth regulators (IGRs) that kill flea eggs on the animal. *Remember to read all insecticide labels, and to follow all precautions and dose directions.

The insecticides used for flea control vary widely in toxicity and efficacy. Considerations for selecting a formulation include the size, weight and age of the animal, as well as the species.

For example, greyhounds are a very chemical-sensitive breed and are more sensitive to insecticide products than most other dogs. Do not attach flea collars or flea-killing medallions on these dogs. Do not use chlorpyrifos, DDVP, methoxychior or malathion on greyhounds.

Cats are more sensitive to organophosphate insecticides than dogs. In addition, cats groom themselves more than dogs and are more likely to ingest an insecticide by licking the residue from their fur.

Kittens and puppies, because of their smaller size, require a lower dose than adult animals. Young animals may …

They say that a dog is a man’s best mate. And while there may not be much scientific evidence to back up this claim, it’s hard to argue with the fact that dogs have helped their owners through some rough times at least in theory. There’s something about these furry creatures that makes people want to take care of them and give them love when no one else will.

Even if you don’t own a pet, you’ve probably seen someone walking down the street holding on to a leash and admiring their favorite mutt or stray as though it were a small child. The question is why do we feel so attached to these animals? What qualities make them such an important part of many people’s lives?

There are several reasons why owning a dog seems like such a great idea. One reason is that dogs are very social animals. They’re not just packed animals; dogs tend to form strong bonds with each other. These friendships often last beyond death, even when the owner isn’t present. Another reason dogs are popular pets is that they’re relatively inexpensive compared to most other pets.

Dogs also require less maintenance than cats, birds, and rabbits, which means they’re easier to keep clean and more economical to feed. Pets provide companionship, too. Many people find comfort in the company of another living being. Finally, dogs are extremely loyal. In return, humans offer food and shelter.

But perhaps the most compelling argument for keeping a canine friend is psychological. Studies show that having a pet reduces stress levels. This effect has been attributed to two factors.

First, pets relieve boredom by providing activity. Second, since pets are usually dependent upon their human counterparts for survival, they become familiar with the …

When you think about what goes into cutting a dog’s hair, shampooing probably isn’t one of them. It doesn’t take much time at all to rinse off your pet with shampoo and towel him dry and that’s basically all there is to it. For many of us, this technique is good enough to get the job done. However, if you’re interested in giving your pooch a more stylish look, you might want to consider a different method.

There are two main ways to trim a dog’s coat. The first involves using scissors or clippers (or both) while wet. This technique works well when you need to cut away long tangles, but it can also be tricky because it requires you to keep track of where each cut begins and ends.

When you’re dealing with dogs who have thick coats, it’s easy to lose sight of where you’ve already made cuts. If you don’t make sure to follow up on each pass of the scissors, you could end up making too big of a change between passes. The other common technique is called dry trimming. Instead of having to deal with water during the process, you simply soak the entire animal before beginning the haircut.

You then use clippers and/or scissors to remove unwanted bits of fur without worrying about accidentally slicing through healthy areas. With dry trimming, you’ll only need to worry about how close you come to any sensitive parts of your dog’s body. Although this method takes longer than wet trimming, it allows you to create a cleaner, neater finish.

If you’d like to learn more about these methods, we spoke with three experts who gave their input on which approach is best suited to your particular breed of dog. Read on to find …