All tag results for 'spca'

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett has done another 'Ask a Vet from the SF SPCA'.

Someone wrote in:

We do not treat our 5-year old Maltipoo for fleas - and he never seems to have a problem. Recently though, we visited another household where there were two other dogs, both treated with flea medication. After a day-long visit, our pooch had fleas all over him and the other dogs were still flea-less. Why did that happen? What can we do to make sure he doesn't get fleas on his next visit?

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett responded:

Gotcha! As compared to days gone by when it was common to use organophosphates on pets the products available now to prevent and control fleas are great.

Most likely some of the fleas that were newly hatched from the eggs in the house had a feeding frenzy on your virginal pup! I recommend one of the newer effective flea medications—the new long lasting oral product is my favorite. You’ll need to see your vet to get it, but it is really reasonably priced. Oh, and if your dog brought fleas home, then the bad news is that there still there. You’ll need to use a product that has an insect growth regulator to kill the eggs they laid in your house to get rid of them. You can call our pharmacy – we carry a really good, non-toxic powder. Fleas are tough little buggers. Good luck.

So remember, don't poison your pet with the wrong flea medicine but do talk to your vet about safe ways to protect them from fleas.

It's easier to prevent fleas from happening than it is to remove a flea infestation from your home.

Gross.

[Image via Michael Wright/WENN.]

Tags: bugs, dog, dr. jennifer scarlett, fleas, infestation, medicine, poison, spca

The holidays are a great time for families and friends to get together.

Many of us consider our pets part of our families, and so they go with us to family parties.

But what if every attending family brings their pet?

The SPCA's Ask a Vet features that question:

Our family always gets together for the holidays, and all the pets come too! Any advice to bringing 4 dogs, 3 cats and a bird together under one roof for a few days?

The vet responded:

Wow-a family of animal lovers. I don’t know the low down on which dogs, bird and cats live together so I’m going to shoot from the hip and give you the basics. Cats generally despise change and that includes meeting new cats and new dogs, but they really want to meet the bird, but not in a good way.

Have a great holiday.

So if you follow these easy tips you'll have a happy and safe holiday for you and your pets!

[Image via AP Images.]

Tags: animals, ask a vet, bird, cat, dog, family, friends, holidays, pets, q and a, spca, veterinarian

This is sad and downright DISGUSTING!

Outdoor Adventures, a Canadian tourist spot which offers winter excursions like snowmobiling, snowshoeing, horseback riding, and dog sledding, is under investigation for animal cruelty after an employee reported executing 100 of the companies 300 sled dogs because of a slow winter season.

Despicable!

The employee successfully filed a WorkSafeBC claim for post-traumatic stress last April outlining the "execution-style" mass cull using firearms, which by the end had left him "covered in blood".

The man's claim says he was ordered by his employer to euthanize the dogs since his responsibilities "included herd control".

While all previous culls were done with the support and approval of a veterinarian, the man stated in his claim:

"A veterinarian was contacted, but refused to euthanize healthy animals. Attempts were made to adopt out the dogs with only limited success."

Ugh! Such a blatant case of animal cruelty! There had to be a shelter somewhere that could have taken in these unwanted dogs.

Marcie Moriarty, head of the BC SPCA cruelty investigations division, said of the employee who filed the claim:

"I've no doubt he has suffered post traumatic stress but there's a thing called choice. I absolutely would not have done this and he could have said no. This is a Criminal Code offence … I don't feel sorry for this guy for one minute."

The BC SPCA animal cruelty investigators plan to execute a search warrant to try to obtain further information about the culling and even unearth the mass grave to examine the dogs' remains.

Moriarty says she is glad a light is finally being shed on this industry because:

"There is a problem with the sled dog industry in general. People see these 20 sled dogs, an idyllic setting with snow in the background and think how great. But what they don't see is the 200 dogs tethered and sleeping out back, chained to a barrel."

So sad! We hope the SPCA can dish out some justice and this brings attention to other sled dog travesties being committed everywhere else in the world.

Thoughts???

[Image via AP Images.]

Tags: animal cruelty, animals, canada, disgusting, dogs, euthanize, investigation, spca, veterinarian