On checking through my diary on the computer, I saw that Tikva is due for a worm pill [she has Drontal Plus] on 1 April. She will need Frontlining on 1 Aptil as well. I know with Little One and Pereg that once they were three months old and had what was then monthly, after that they only had to have a Drontal every six months. But Michal, Tikva's primary vet, had said every three months until she is a year old, then every six months. But since the Parkworm has moved down to this area - it originated in Ramat Gan, just outside of Tel Aviv - Tikva needs treating for that, and it is every three months for life. Not a pill either, but an injection, and that is due on 30 March. According to her records she is not due for the yearly booster shot until August, and her rabies shot four weeks after that, which Michal cannot give her as it has to be given by Vadim, the Local Authority vet. Not that he charges me for it or for coming out - he turns up when he has to be on the Moshav to check on cows [for milk], chickens [for meat and for eggs], in other words things for human consumption. At least I do not have to worry about Heartworm as we do not have it here. I guess I should say "yet", but who knows, and Tikva will need another worm pill and another Parkworm shot before her next regular booster is due, so we are going to have to try to balance things out so all but the rabies shot can be done at the same time. So, Michal will come here next Wednesday with the worm pill and the Parkworm shot on her way to the surgery - much easier for me than getting a taxi to come from town, take us there and then bring us home. Probably the call-out charge will be not much more. Michal adores Tikva and it is mutual, and I am just so lucky, and grateful, for having such a wonderful vet. Michal is for Tikki as Ram was for Pereg.
I am so glad that we don't have parkworm, it sounds really horrible. Makes you wonder how dogs survived it before the injections were available. Where do these blighters originate anyway, - I mean before Ramat Gan? It is good that you have such supportive vets, Malka. A little help goes a long way.
TICK WARNING IN THE UK Dog owners in the UK are being warned about an outbreak of an animal disease that is carried by ticks It is the first time that experts have established an outbreak of babesiosis in the country. In Essex, two dogs have died and three others needed blood transfusions after contracting the disease. Experts say that it will be impossible to stop the spread of the disease, which is caused by a single-celled parasite. The ticks carrying the Babesia canis parasite have been found in fields in Harlow, Essex. The local council has put up a sign with a map defining the area and advising dog walkers not to enter. Two government agencies are now investigating the outbreak: the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Public Health England. The tick found in the UK carrying the Babesia canis strain is called Dermacentor reticulatus. Sorry about hi jacking your post Malka
@CaroleC - I have no idea. I remember when I first heard about it and asked Ram and he said that it was only in central Israel so not to worry, but that was maybe three years ago. As I have not seen him since he came here to euthanise Pereg - and again but only briefly when Michal took us to the surgery for Tikva to be spayed, I was rather surprised when she told me that parkworm had now reached this area. As the majority of people here do not bother with any form of worm/tick/flea/yearly shots treatment, and their dogs just wander loose, plus we have the dumped dogs, I will do everything I can to make sure Tikva does not get anything that is preventable. Where did it come from? Who knows. In the US they have heartworm. Where did that come from originally? @6JRTs - no problem and I would far rather someone hijack a thread to warn about possible dangers to their dogs. I was extremely lucky with Ram looking after Pereg - he knew so much about canine epilepsy. And now I have Michal looking after Tikva. It is so reassuring having vets that you trust.
I have been thinking about all the things I do to keep Tikva [and Pereg and Little One before her] but it is not just for them. This afternoon one of Shulamit's daughters came over with the Friday "offering" and two of Shulamit's young grandchildren came bouncing down the path, calling "Tikva, Tikva". I have no idea how many grandchildren Shula has but these were two very young ones. Last week there were about five or six of them, all over Tikki, the oldest being, I think, six. It was chaos but Tikki was so good. Hugs, kisses, and I am thinking Tikki, behave. Which she does with the children, just as she does with everyone [except me ] but at least I know that however close the children get to her, and they could not get any closer, she cannot pass any nasties on to them.
