Woof Woof Wednesday

We mentioned a few weeks ago how our roof was being done. The entire thing had to be replaced, all the way down to the plywood beneath the shingles. It was in rough shape, thanks not only to hailstorms last year, but also to errors when the roof was last done when the previous owner lived here. The roofers worked on our roof for an entire week. The kitties were less than thrilled. As for pup Astrid, she ultimately resorted to snoopervising the roofers and making sure they did their job correctly.

Pup Astrid also made sure the roofers picked up after themselves on their last day at our house.

The kitties wouldn't agree, but I was very happy with our roofers. Not only does our roof look nice, but they cleaned up after themselves incredibly well. In order to makes sure they didn't miss any metal debris, they went through my entire yard with a magnetic hook, which you might be able to see in the roofer's hand in the above photo. Astrid made sure they didn't miss a single inch of the yard.

Thanks, roofers! And thank you, Astrid, for snoopervising them!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

During this week of flashback doodles, today we are yet again at Rosie's Restaurant, which we introduced during last year's April A to Z Challenge. Have yourself to some pizza, because Rosie makes them fresh all day long.

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Tip of the Day

We just finished our series of tips on heartworm. Since we're on the topic of pesky parasites, we're going to keep it going with some more related repeat tips. We shared these tips on parasites over the last couple of years, but this time of year, this topic can be an important one to discuss. Today, we'll be talking about fleas.

When it comes to fleas, it's important to realize that essentially any and all animals are susceptible. Even indoor-only cats and dogs can get fleas, such as if the tiny pests come into the home by hitching a ride on humans, or on other animals who go outdoors. What's more, fleas can be present even when you might think they aren't, even in the winter. If fleas have already made their ways indoors, they can thrive in the warmth of a home any time of year. Even outdoors in the winter, though, they can still potentially be present. Especially if there are warmer days here and there, and if you're starting to see some green grass outside, then there is always the chance that fleas can be present and active. So, this is just one reason to keep your furbabies on flea prevention.

To really drive home this tip, though, we're also going to remind you of just some of the side effects that can come with fleas. First, of course, fleas can cause all sorts of itchiness. In some cases, an animal can even have flea allergy dermatitis, which is of course when a cat or dog is allergic to flea bites and can therefore display significant itching, hair loss, lesions, and so forth. Itchy skin is not the only potential result of fleas, though. Fleas can also lead to a tapeworm infestation in your furbaby, something which we will further discuss tomorrow. In addition, anemia and other bloodborne and potentially dangerous diseases can result from fleas and their bites. The health and safety of your furbaby is of course, therefore, an incredibly good reason to be sure that you keep up with that flea prevention year round.

We will also note here that you should discuss with your veterinarian which flea preventative is likely to be both the safest and most effective for your furbaby. Not all preventatives are created equal. Some cheaper, generic, over-the-counter versions have even been found to cause incredibly dangerous or even life-threatening side effects. This is not something for which it's worth risking your furbaby's life, so discuss preventatives with your veterinarian, and select a quality, safe product. Also, in the event that your entire home needs to be treated for fleas, also be sure that you discuss this with your veterinarian, so that you might get tips from them on safe methods for this extensive type of treatment.