Ticks Pose Health Threat To Pets And Humans

April 22, 2014 - You can't spell "ticks" without "ick." Disgusting critters, ticks not only suck blood from your dog (and you, given the chance), they also spread dangerous diseases to both animals and humans, including Lyme disease. With warmer weather spreading across the nation, tick season is coming into full season. Removing ticks from your pet can be difficult, but Jennifer Kvamme, DVM has some helpful tips.

Identify ticks at tickinfo.com

"It’s no fun having to remove ticks from your dog during the spring and summer months," writes Dr. Kvamme at Philly.com. "Not only are these blood-suckers nasty to look at, all filled up with your pet’s hard won blood as they are, they are also notoriously difficult to dislodge, making it so you have to get up close and personal in order to assure success. Because left too long or not removed entirely, these buggers can cause some serious diseases. So, what can you do to keep your dog tick-free this season?" Dr. Kvamme looks at spot-on treatments, oral medications, shampoos, tick dips and tick collars. Read the full article at Philly.com.

Cats Too: Ticks love your feline friends, as well. Ticks can jump from one animal to another. As noted by The Humane Society, "Don't limit tick checks to your canine family members. Dogs can't directly transmit tick-borne illnesses to people, but ticks can move from host to host. A tick may enter your home on your dog's back and move on to another pet or human, or a tick could hitch a ride on you and then move on to one of your pets. A good tick prevention strategy includes checking all family members for these parasites, especially after outdoor activities in wooded, leafy, or grassy areas."

Also See:

• How to Properly Remove Ticks: Common Myths and Foolproof Methods VetStreet
• Ticks that carry Lyme disease infecting more dogs, report says Today.com
• Preventing Ticks On Your Pets CDC, and Tick-Borne Diseases Of The U.S. CDC
• Man finds dog covered with 100 ticks after Easter walk through underbrush The Republic
• Scientists discover unnamed disease carried by deer ticks Republican Herald
• Beware of Wood Ticks Valley Journal
• Basic Tick Identification TickInfo.com
• How Ticks Spread Lyme Bay Area Lyme
• Lyme Disease In Pets PetMD

Injured Dog Getting Better (Updated)

Happy Update! My friend's injured puppy, "Rock N Roll," is getting better. On July 16, the little guy was viciously attacked by a big dog and it looked grim for him. RNR's dad, Bill Morton, wrote this update to me: Rock N Roll is recovering and taking his first steps. Due to an enlarged heart, spinal surgery was a decided to be a final option. Rock N Roll is currently on anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics. Pain relievers will be available to him as soon as tomorrow. We have a check up this Wednesday [July 21] at the vet. Read more about this at Bill's own blog, "Rogers Park in 1000 Words." Previously: July 16, 2010 - Friend and fellow blogger Bill Morton makes an urgent plea for help:

This afternoon my dog Rock N Roll was attacked by a large German shepard. Rock N Roll was grabbed by the neck and shaken. After the attack, Rock N. Roll lost the movement of his legs and he needs to be treated by a specialist for spinal injuries immediately to walk again. The hospital stated that every hour counts in this kind of situation.

Rock N Roll is currently at: VCA Misener-Holley Animal Hospital 1545 W. Devon Avenue Chicago, IL. 60660 773 743-3322 under the care of Medical Director, Katie Baldwin, DVM. The current estimate is $450.00 for the initial emergency treatment and it is estimated that the neurologist will cost several thousand dollars. Please call me immediately or contact the Animal Hospital directly to save Rock N. Roll. 773 824-7400. Thank you, Bill

Abandoned Cat "Sweetie Pie" Needs Your Help

Chicago - This is one cute cat, and she was recently abandoned - tossed out - by a heartless owner. A friend of mine is taking care of her but he is allergic to cats and wants to find a good home for her. Her name is "Sweetie Pie," and she's been checked out by a vet and is in good shape. She is a 3-year old with tortoise shell markings and, says my friend, "affectionate and mellow." If you would like to adopt Sweetie Pie, leave a comment on this post with your email address and phone number (we will NOT publish either of those) and we'll put you in touch with her caretaker, my friend. Here's what my buddy wrote on July 15 about how he found Sweetie Pie: Found in Ukranian Village about a week ago. She has a microchip that led us back to her previous owners, but they dumped her in the street a couple of weeks ago because they had a baby. She is fixed and has proper shots. Tested negative on a combo test (no feline diseases). She is clean and healthy, no injuries. Some overgrooming due to stress. Bonus: She comes with a brand new litter box with fresh litter, a couple pounds of dry food, water and food bowls, stand-alone scratching post, hanging scratching pad, and a circular "chase-the-mouse" toy. All of this was donated by Treehouse Cat Shelter on Carmen and Broadway. They did say, however, that she would be super easy to find a home for because of her disposition.

Please Adopt Cato the Dog! (Updated)

UPDATED: I met a little dog named "Cato" at Rep. Harry Osterman's Furry Friends Summerfest in Edgewater and fell in love with him. He was up for adoption, but we're happy to report that he's found a good home... UPDATE: Laura wrote, "Tom, I just wanted to let me know that Cato found his forever home this week. He was adopted by a very sweet woman who will adore him. Thanks for taking interest in Cato and trying to find him his person." To help rescue more pets like Cato from Chicago Animal Care & Control, please consider fostering a cat or dog in your home, or making a donation to FCACC by contacting Kathy at kbwilson60612@yahoo.com. To see other pets for adoption, please visit http://www.petraits.petfinder.com/. Photo of Cato by Sheri of Petraits Pet Photography.

Rabbit: It's What's For Dinner!

Rescue that rabbit from the ordinary with a special recipe this weekend! Here is a collection of web sites with great rabbit recipes for you to experiment with and enjoy. Rabbit Recipes - For the small game lovers you will find Rabbit Recipes on the page. Recipes Using Rabbit - For most recipes, the rabbit is cut in serving pieces before it is cooked. Just Game Recipes - 129 Rabbit recipes Rabbit Recipes Society - 2,272 pages of information about hunting and rabbit recipes! Rabbit Recipes - Domestic Rabbit Meat - Eat Better, Cleaner and Healthier!