I hope you and your fur babies are well and looking forward to a healthful, peaceful and exciting summer.  Here at Wellsmere Collies we are transitioning to the next generation.  Sir Galahad is now retired and will stay on as my personal boy.  Honeybelle and Sheena are also retired and Jazzy is on a "staycation" in the Adirondacks.  We are anxiously waiting for Sir Parzival to step up to the plate with a wonderful group of Galahad daughters.  Check out wellsmerecollies.com for pictures, pedigrees and DNA results of the youngsters (coming soon!)  We are hoping for August pups so stay in touch.

Summer is here!!!!  Thanks to a fellow collie lover for this timely reminder!!! 

TICKS!!!

Also with summer comes the dreaded tick!  The FDA has issued a warning on Seresto Collars after the death of several dogs.  I personally am aware of a couple of severe reactions in collies.  In addition, there has been a claim that Seresto collars purchased from Chewy turned out to be counterfeit or bootleg reproductions.  If you are using a Seresto Collar, please reconsider.  The reality is that the Herding breeds and sight hounds metabolize drugs differently than others.  Many of the drugs that have been developed in the last 10 years are designed to be convenient, often combining multiple medications into one pill and that tends to be a potential disaster for our dogs.  So be careful and do your homework.  Using a product for tick control does not elliminate the need for daily tick checks.  Prompt removal of a tick minimizes the chance of disease transmission.

So what about "natural" treatments.  lf you wish to go that route, I would encourage you to read the article by Dr. Jean Dodds.  I found it very enlightening and was unaware that several "natural" products and oils can cause irreparable harm. 

https://mailchi.mp/hemopet/all-natural-tick-repellents?e=e8ca140fd6

Consider signing up for her articles at hemopet.org. I find her pro-active, informative, and poignant.

Blue/Green Algae Toxicity!!!

When the weather is hot and there has been little rain, the algae in stagnant water can emit lethal toxins.  Immediate effects can be staggering, drooling and/or seizures.  Long term effects include vomiting, diahrrea, abdominal pain, lack of appetite, liver and kidney failure.  The EPA recommends keeping your dog away from water that has a scum or foam on the surface, has an odd smell, or an odd color like blue, bright green, brown, or red.