The approaching warmer weather means lots of long walks with your furry friends on wooded trails and watching Fido and Bella do their favorite thing in the backyard… playfully roll around in the thick, green grass.   Unfortunately, warmer temps also bring out the bugs, especially ticks.  Ticks are attracted to warmth and motion which is why our pets are often their target.  To help protect both you and your playful pup this Spring and Summer, here’s what you need to know about these pesky little critters:

- Ticks are blood sucking parasites that latch onto their host, feeding until they’ve had their fill – charming little buggers!

- These are the 4 most common “hard” ticks found in Indiana and what they look like:

• Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick, also known as the “eastern wood tick”)
• Ixodes scapularis (black-legged tick, also known as “deer tick” or “lyme disease tick”)
• Rhipicephalus sanguineus (brown dog tick)
• Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick)

- Ticks lurk in grassy areas waiting for their next meal – but don’t think you’re out of the woods (pardon the pun) if you live in the city as they can be found in urban areas too.  When not attached and feeding on their hosts, most hard ticks live on the ground in vegetation, such as grassy meadows, woods, brush, weeds, leaf litter, etc.  Most ticks will crawl to the tips of grasses, brush, leaves, or branches and wait.  With their front legs outstretched, they will wait for a host to brush up against them. When the tick does come into contact with an animal, it will grab on and crawl to an appropriate area on the animal to feed.  

- Once a tick attaches to your pup, they can feed for several hours or even days, leading to itching, irritation and inflammation. Ouch!  Ticks also carry diseases including Lyme disease, which affects both people and animals.

- Ticks like to nestle into warm spots around the ears, legs and tummy.  To help keep your pooch tick-free, check them daily during the Spring and Summer months by running your fingers through their fur to feel any small bumps. Make sure you check between their toes, under armpits and behind ears. 

- You can protect your pup from ticks by adding a Frontline treatment when you have your dog groomed at Hungry Hound which will both prevent and treat for ticks.   Frontline recommends that you apply the product every four weeks.  Once dead, most ticks will drop off naturally. If they don’t, try removing them with a gentle pull – preferably with tweezers. If the tick doesn’t come out, don’t pull harder as the mouthparts may be left in the skin, leading to infection. Instead take your pet to the vet.

- Hungry Hound offers a fantastic selection of natural flea and tick repellents that can be used daily.   Look for these products on our shelves now and get your hounds ready for Spring and Summer!

NOW Available at Hungry Hound - PawFlex bandages designed just for pets!  

It’s sad enough when your beloved furry friends are in need of wound care so we strive to offer products that will make your pets as comfortable as they can be while healing.  New to our shelves are PawFlex bandages – disposable, non adhesive, breathable, soft, super stretch bandages with a wound pad already attached. 

PawFlex bandages create a clean environment for your dogs wound to heal.  Because they are water resistant and breathable there will be no moisture build up which can be a breeding ground for bacteria.  Your dog will also not be tempted to lick or bite because of the discomfort of adhesives.

The PawFlex™ Basic Bandage is for any part of your dogs’ leg.  The super stretch material flexes in all joint degrees and angles and moves gently and smoothly with your active dog.  This bandage is gentle and soft enough for the tiniest breed and strong and tough enough for the largest of breeds.

The PawFlex™ MediMitt Bandage is for your dogs’ paws.  It has no designated front or back so you can direct the wound pad portion directly over the wound no matter where it is located on the paw.  The fastener is a non-slip strap with velcro.  For outdoor protection, PawFlex has also designed a disposable water proof Cover/Protector that slips right over the MediMitt and utilizes the same fastener to keep the MediMitt clean and dry during outside use.

Will my dog accept them?

Because there are no adhesives tugging at their fur AND the fabric is soft like cotton, your dog will be totally comfortable in PawFlex bandages and forget that they even have one on.

Will PawFlex bandages stay on?

Yes, thanks to the unique double catch fastener, super stretch material and non slip grip, PawFlex bandages are designed to stay on. 

Are PawFlex bandages waterproof?

PawFlex bandages are water resistant which means they will repel water unless fully submerged. You need not worry about the bandage becoming waterlogged from licking or rain drops.  Because they are not fully waterproof, they maintain good breathability at all times.

Will my dog be comfortable?

Pawflex is made from a super soft and high stretch material that molds, flexes and moves gently with your dog throughout their daily activities.  And of course, non adhesive means  absolutely NO fur pulling or skin ripping.   Your dog will no longer obsess over licking and gnawing at his bandage and wound site do to the discomfort and alluring scent of adhesives.  PawFlex bandages are the most comfortable pet bandages on the market today.

We sure hope you never need products like these but if you do, our shelves are stocked with some of the best wound care products available.  Hungry Hound is here to help!