Dear Emma,
We love the spring and summer, it’s our family’s favorite time to take hikes with our two dogs. Our vet said we should put them both on a flea and tick preventative but is this necessary? We don’t normally find ticks on them and they’ve never had fleas. – Nancy W.
The warmer weather has us all coming out of our “winter hibernation” including fleas and ticks! While you may not a lot find ticks on your dogs it only takes one to transmit a tick-borne disease like Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Additionally, fleas can carry intestinal parasites that can infect both people and animals. Monthly preventatives are safe and effective protection against these parasites and should be given year-round since warm spells in the winter can have us seeing ticks earlier than normal. Consult with your veterinarian about which preventative is right for your dogs and lifestyle.
Dear Emma,
I LOVE teacup pigs, they are just so adorable! I’m looking to get one of my own, I live in a city but these little guys are the perfect apartment sized pets. Do you have any tips on finding the perfect tea-cup pig for me? – Jess G.
Let me start off by saying, there is no such thing as a “teacup” pig. Like any designer “breed” there is no 100% repeatable outcome, “teacup” pigs are the product of inbreeding small pot-bellied pigs to create even smaller offspring. Pot-bellied pigs are small when they’re 1 month old but they can grow up to 150lbs! Apart from that, pigs, no matter the size, are considered livestock in most communities, and there are certain zoning requirements that need to be met in order to have one, chances are your apartment is not zoned for pigs. Pigs are smart animals that can make amazing pets, when fed proper diets and given proper space and housing, but no matter how much a breeder may promise you that they have genuine “teacup” pigs don’t fall for their tricks.