Several types of insects that thrive in the good weather you anticipate can also be a real danger to you. Especially mosquitoes, fleas and ticks.

Mosquitoes spread heartworm disease so your owner is wise to get you to the doctor and to keep you on preventative medication. But first you should have a blood test to make certain that you are free of heartworms. The preventative medication cannot be administered to a dog that is already harboring adult heartworms. Rest assured, the blood test will only take a minute and won't really hurt.

Besides being nuisances that cause itching and, in some dogs, severe allergic reactions that can make you miserable, fleas also carry tapeworms. When you bite the fleas, you are likely to ingest tapeworm eggs. While neither the skin irritations nor the tapeworms are likely to threaten your life, it is preferable to prevent the problems than to have to treat them all summer. It's much less expensive for your owner, too! The veterinarian will give your owner good products and advice to keep you flea-free.

Ticks can be far more dangerous, especially deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease. The most effective prevention is vaccination which is now readily available and, according to veterinary research, safe and effective. The doctor will advise your owner on tick control methods for you and your yard.

The vet is your owner's best source for information, advice and effective products. However, it is extremely important that the many products available be used properly and in the right combinations to ensure their safety and effectiveness. The old adage -- an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure -- rings especially true for active dogs like you.

In your opinion, a romp in the park sure beats a visit to the vet this spring. But that visit can help guarantee your fun in the outdoors all summer long.

And, by the way, congratulations on having such a loving, committed owner who wants to be sure you remain a "healthy hound."

Volume 11 No. 2, Summer 1994