Welcome to the Cascade Kennels February 2012 Newsletter.
Hey everyone! Welcome to the February edition of our newsletter. Can you believe it’s February already?
Now that we have dug out of the snow storms and have enjoyed the most recent, unusual warming spell, we are hard at work keeping your pet(s) warm, happy, dry and having a blast.
In this edition we will be covering the following topics:
- Keeping your pets safe and warm when the power goes out
- Flea Control, the Natural Side of Things
- February Kennel Notes
- Important News from WASART
- Facts to Remember
Keeping your pets safe and warm when the power goes out
With so many areas around town losing power during the recent snowstorm, many have asked us what we do when our area loses power. The answer is that we have a 50,000 watt, natural gas powered, automatic generator hard-wired into our electrical system. When the generator detects power from PSE has been lost, it automatically starts itself. It takes just a few seconds for our generator’s electricity to come on.
We learned our lesson about six or seven years ago before our generator was installed.
The Woodinville area lost power for about five days in mid-December. Keeping all the animals warm and fed was difficult and we vowed to install a generator as soon as we could. The installation was completed about a year and a half later.
This winter we lost power on Christmas day and for two or three days during the recent snowstorm but our generator power came right on and all of the pets we were caring for never knew the difference.
Flea Control, the Natural Side of Things
Each spring and fall we hear stories from our customers about the horrible flea problems they are dealing with in their homes. The gloomy, wet and mild environment we live in is the perfect recipe for flea infestations. Unfortunately, fleas are one of the downfalls of pet ownership. In this article we would like to share some things we have learned this past year about how to deal with fleas in a more natural way.
So how do your pets get fleas? When your pets go outdoors the fleas jump on for a ride indoors. Did you know a flea can jump 200 times the length of its own body? Once inside, the adult fleas start shedding their eggs which only multiplies your problem. A female adult flea lays about 15-20 eggs a day, which is roughly 600 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs then drop off of your pets, onto your floor covering as well as surrounding areas in your home. The infestation is more prevalent in the areas your pets sleep.
So where do we start our battle to get rid of these nasty little parasites? For starters, wash your pet’s bedding often in hot water and tumble dry on high heat. This will help kill any fleas or flea eggs that are on the bedding.
Scheduling your pet for regular grooming is a great way to get rid of any fleas that are on them. When shampoo lathers up real thick it will drown the adult fleas. You don’t even need to use chemical flea shampoos for this. A good rinse in warm water and a blow dry will help get all those nasty little eggs out of your pets coat too.
Vacuum your home often; this will pick up fleas and eggs that are hiding out in your carpets. Pick as much stuff up off the floor before hand as fleas will hide in dark areas in your home. Make sure you empty your vacuum and put the contents outside immediately after vacuuming.
Treating your carpets with borax is a great way to get rid of fleas indoors. You can find borax in the laundry aisle of your local store under the name 20 Mule Team. Before treating your carpets you will want to test this in an inconspicuous area to make sure it won’t damage your carpets. Once you have determined your carpets are safe sprinkle a light dusting onto the carpets and then work it down with a broom. You will want to be careful not to breathe in the dust while you are doing this. Leave the powder on your carpets for three to five days before vacuuming it up. The borax will kill the flea larvae by dehydrating your carpets. Borax however; will not kill the adult fleas. If you already have a flea infestation it may take a few weeks for you to see results.
Treating your yard is also essential in the fight against fleas. A great natural way to treat the yard is by introducing beneficial nematodes into your soil. Nematodes are microscopic worms that act as a parasite to fleas. The worms actually attack the flea larvae while they are in the cocoon stage before they reach maturity. Nematodes will not harm you, your pets or even your gardens. On the contrary, nematodes are extremely beneficial to gardens as they also kill soil grubs that cause damage to plant roots. Nematodes are applied using a sprayer similar to the ones used to apply home pesticides. Since fleas like to hide in dark, moist areas you will need to make sure to spray under trees and shrubs. Beneficial Nematodes can be purchased at many garden shops or online organic gardening websites.
When it comes to flea control it is always better to be proactive rather than reactive. Prepare to start treating your home and yard in early spring and throughout the summer to prevent the dreaded infestation. With a little work and due diligence you and your pets will enjoy a happier and healthier life together.
Grooming is offered for both overnight guests and as an independent service without overnight boarding. We also accept the feline companion and those first time puppies. Our groomers are available for brief consultations to answer your grooming questions.
Are you thinking of giving your sweetheart a puppy for Valentine’s Day? We offer puppy classes. A four- week course for puppies 8-20 weeks old concentrates on socialization and proper play with other pups (and family members).
Are you prepared to leave your house if given 15 minutes to evacuate? Are your pets prepared?
Being ready for a disaster is one of the most overlooked areas of pet ownership but there are some simple things you can do:
- Have a bag of essentials for you and your pet ready to go
- Plan for being away for 5-7 days, and remember things like medicine, food, and toys
The list can be intimidating, so in the coming months we’ll go through it bit by bit to help everyone slowly build readiness. Want to look ahead?
The government has a great start here: http://www.ready.gov/basic-disaster-supplies-kit
This information is brought to you by WASART.
WASART, Washington State Animal Response Team, is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) organization focused on technical rescue and disaster response addressing emergency situations involving companion animals and livestock. WASART currently focuses on Western Washington, though members actively deploy both nationally and internationally with partner organizations such as the ASPCA. WASART has a wide array of volunteer and training opportunities available. Check out http://www.washingtonsart.org/ for more information on how you can become involved.
Many of you will be receiving chocolates for Valentine’s Day. Remember chocolate is poisonous to dogs. Keep it out of reach of your pets.
February 23rd is Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day!
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[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://www.cascadekennels.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ck-avatar.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Cascade Kennels is the premier pet boarding solution for dogs, cats, rabbits, and exotic pets of various types. Cascade Kennels also provides outstanding pet grooming services!
Call 425-483-9333
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