Goodbye fleas, hello worms.
So our new friend was flea-free and happy about it when i noticed the tell-tale sign of worm infestation (i’ll spare you the details here — use your imagination — or if you really want to know, read here 
Anyway you’ll be glad to hear that modern worm treatments such as Tradewinds Tapeworm Tabs are cheap, quick and amazingly effective, though given some of the less-than-attractive extra-curricular activities of our furry little friends, don’t be surprised if you find yourself repeating the treatment before long .
By-the-way, if in the past you’ve found that swallowing tablets is not quite what “Poppet” has in mind, see our tips on giving tablets to your cat.
10 tips for a well behaved dog
- Reward good behaviour with a favourite treat and lots of praise. Positive emotions are good.
- Don’t punish bad behaviour, just don’t react to it. Never be cruel.
- Stay calm, don’t panic. Be firm but not aggressive. Negative emotions are bad.
- Make commands simple and repeat them often, re-inforce with hand signals.
- Try to understand the situation from your dogs perspective.
- Make learning fun and interesting for both of you.
- Use the best equipment available, but do your research first. Expensive isn’t always best.
- Know your breed, some dogs need a lot of exercise.
- Take baby steps, don’t run before you can walk.
- Love your dog and enjoy doing things together, the rewards will be priceless.
Giving tablets to your cat
The thought of giving tablets to your cat can be a bit off-putting, especially if your’s is a fiesty little moggie with a not-unreasonable preference for other diets.
Over the years I’ve tried all the obvious methods. Wrapping it up in his favourite food like a little scotch egg. Crushing it in milk or food to disguise the taste. None of these have proved particularly successful.
I had to give my own cat, Linus, a tablet every day for the last 2 years of his life, and in the end this was how I did it, bearing in mind I’m right handed.
My first tip is don’t try to do it on a table. Administering the tablet with the cat on the floor gives you the opportunity to reduce his wiggle room by clamping his body gently between your knees.
Next, grab him firmly in the scruff of the neck with your left hand.
Hold the tablet between the thumb and forefinger of your right hand, then with your middle finger, open his mouth.
Sounds easy when you say it quickly, I found the best way was to gently work my finger into the left side of his mouth until it opened.
Now pull his head back, the idea is to drop the tablet straight down his throat and if his head is pulled back, gravity can help.
Timing is crucial, get it on or under his tongue things start to get tricky, but I found with practice the gravity method does work with minimum stress to cat or owner.
Finish off with a few downward strokes under his chin, just to help it on his way, a cat treat for afters and all is well.
New cat old problem
A few weeks ago a stray cat turned up in the office yard. We fed him and, as we hoped, he decided to stay.
It soon became apparent that like most strays he had fleas, he seemed to spend all day scratching and grooming himself, but never seemed to look any better.
Fortunately an application of Frontline Plus flea treatment for cats was all he needed and the fleas were gone next day. He’d stopped scratching and the condition of his coat soon improved.
He really is a friendly soul, and has really settled in to his new home. However, a couple of days later we found he had another little treat in store for us — worms 
