During the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been an uptick in the number of people working from home and across the U.S. adopting pets from animal shelters, and many others are also signing up to be temporary pet foster parents. Recent statistics show pet adoptions are up 100% from last year.

Pets can be a great, healthy addition to a family. Reports show that 78% of pet owners say their pets have improved their quality of life during this current social distancing period. For example, new and long-time pet owners are spending more time outside exercising with their pets, which is a great activity for everybody.

Just as our pets are keeping us healthy it’s important to return the favor by protecting your pets as you take them to dog parks or hiking trails, or even just extended walks around the neighborhood.

• Fleas: even though we don’t often see them, just one flea can lay over 500 eggs in the first 21 days once they invade your do and then make their way into your home.
• Ticks: they are found in many of the places your dog likes to go, such as tall grass, trails and leaves and can transmit serious diseases.
• Mosquitos: a single bite from an infective mosquito can transmit heartworm disease.
• Contaminated Soil: hookworms and roundworms can live in a dog’s intestines and can be passed on to you.

Join our expert, Veterinarian, Dr. Caitlin DeWilde to learn more about the health risks for your animals, and tips for keeping your pet happy, healthy, and protected. When it comes to healthy pets, it’s a two-way street. We keep our four-legged friends healthy & they help to keep us healthy in return.

Interview is courtesy: Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health

The post PET ADOPTIONS SURGE DURING SOCIAL DISTANCING: As Families Spend More Time with Their Pets, Learn How to Protect Against Flea, Tick & Mosquito Threats appeared first on Good News!.

Spending quality time outside with pets is a great way to be refreshed and experience companionship during this unprecedented time. Many are also adopting or fostering shelter pets as a way to connect. While people are doing all they can to preserve the health and safety of their communities through social distancing, working from home and other actions, pet owners also face the unique responsibility of maintaining their pet’s health and safety when choosing outdoor activities over social gatherings.

Spending time in nature on long walks, taking hikes or even playing in the backyard with your pets is important to their physical health. At the same time, this gives fleas and ticks the opportunity to pounce on dogs and cats and spread serious diseases. Lyme disease is the most common illness caused by tick bites, representing 72% of the tick-borne diseases reported in humans, according to recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. It can also be fatal if left untreated in both dogs and humans.
Lyme disease has been found in every state in the U.S. According to the CDC, approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease occur in the U.S. each year. While dogs and cats cannot spread the disease directly to humans, pets can bring infected ticks into your house from the outdoors.
Pet parents should take measures to protect their four-legged friends, such as checking fur for ticks and having pets protected with a parasite preventative year-round. Long-lasting preventative treatments can help keep your pet safe from these creepy crawlers and your home free from infestation.
Dan Markwalder, DVM and leading expert in Lyme disease and prevention, shares advice that will help keep your dog safe outside this summer, with a special emphasis on protecting pets from fleas, ticks and Lyme disease. He’ll also outline the signs and symptoms associated with Lyme disease in pets.

The interview is courtesy: Merck Animal Health

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Miri Ben-Ari, a critically acclaimed, GRAMMY Award-winning violinist, and producer who is world renowned as a musical pioneer. A classically trained violinist, who studied under the late classical master Isaac Stern, Ben-Ari has helped sell millions of records by collaborating with other GRAMMY Award-winning artists such as Kanye West, (co-produced Jesus Walks) Jay Z, Wyclef Jean, Alicia Keys, Wynton Marsalis, Britney Spears, Maroon 5, Patti Labelle, Brandy, Donna Summer, Janet Jackson, John Legend, Armin Van Buuren, and countless others. Miri is currently headlining her own spot date performances around the world, and featured as a special guest with Armin Van Buuren on his Armin Only Global tour. Miri Ben-Ari was named the Third Metric Musical Muse for Arianna Huffington, and is traveling to several cities in the United States to headline as a special guest performer. Miri Ben-Ari is also launching a global campaign this year with Scholastics, sponsored by her non-profit organization Gedenk to educate kids about tolerance.  She was named one of 25 “Remarkable Women” in 2011 by First Lady Michelle Obama, an “Apollo Legend” by the famed Apollo Theatre in New York City, a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nation Associations for Brazil, and a recipient of the MLK Community Service Award by Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. Her captivating, show-stopping music earned her the moniker “Superstar Violinist.”

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