Pennies Can Harm Your Dog!

Keep your loose change in a safe place where your Dog Can't get to It.

This Tip provided by:

	TODAY'S PET TIP Toxic Pennies
Pennies minted after 1983 have a high amount of zinc, which is toxic to dogs. If a penny is ingested, the stomach acids will erode the copper coating and expose the zinc center. The zinc can then be rapidly absorbed into the system. Zinc toxicity results in a potentially fatal blood disorder in which the red blood cells are destroyed and the pet becomes anemic. Zinc toxicity in dogs may result from ingestion of as few as 1 to 3 pennies. Learn more

Dealing with Ticks - How to Safely Remove a Tick

Ticks are really bad in many parts of the country.

Yesterday, a friend of mine forwarded a chain email on to me... you know, one of those emails that usually sounds really interesting unless you know the topic. And like many – the information was just plain inaccurate and actually dangerous. This one was about how to remove ticks. My friend wrote to me: "This sounds so easy - why didn't you tell us about it?" Well, I didn't tell you because it isn't true.

In this particular case, the email was recommending treatments that were not only ineffective but could even injure the pet. If you receive emails like this please, please do your homework first!

Ticks are a big problem but you don't want to replace one problem with another.

Today I'd like to talk about ticks and safe ways to remove them. I've seen several theories on how to remove ticks but most aren't effective. To find the best solution it's best to go to the experts.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has publicly stated: "Folklore remedies such as petroleum jelly or hot matches do little to encourage a tick to detach from skin. In fact, they may make matters worse by irritating the tick and stimulating it to release additional saliva, increasing the chances of transmitting the pathogen. These methods of tick removal should be avoided. In addition, a number of tick removal devices have been marketed, but none are better than a plain set of fine tipped tweezers."

So how do you remove a tick?  Here's the real answer.

This is a short step-by-step description on how to do it. The procedure is simple and easy - and trust me, it does not involve matches or lighter fluid.