If you’re like a lot of dog owners, you’re used to a certain set of vaccines. When they’re due, they’re due, and you (along with your veterinary team) consider them part of a standard preventive care routine.

Did you know dogs are at risk of heatstroke? As the weather heats up, human bodies’ sweat as a way to regulate our body temperature, but our pups are at greater risk. If a dog gets overheated, this can lead to heat stroke and severe health issues -- even death. Even worse, it can happen in minutes.

The gastrointestinal system is very important in overall health. It is not only necessary for the nourishment of the body, but is also critical for keeping the body hydrated, presenting antigens to the rest of the body, maintaining balance in intestinal bacteria and elimination of the unusable substances ingested.

Since the canine influenza strain, known as CIV H3N2, first emerged in Chicago two years ago, it has spread sporadically to nearly 40 states across the country. Most recently, in late May, there were two dog shows in Florida and Georgia that incubated the latest outbreak.

The short answer is “yes” and there is a widespread outbreak in the Southeast. However, dog owners around the country should be on alert as reports of this virus were confirmed in LA a few months earlier.

Canine influenza is highly contagious between dogs, they can pass it among themselves from contaminated objects like toys, water bowls, and leashes, as well as direct contact. Additionally, people can transmit it between dogs, though there’s no evidence that people can contract it.

You probably know Lyme Disease is carried by ticks. Those nasty little parasites look for a warm body to attach to and feed on. Some of those ticks are infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease – Borrelia Burgdorferi.