McKinney Pets

Roxi

Miss Kitty Photos courtesy of the SPCA.

Roxi is an 11-month-old female, black Labrador Retriever mix who is surprisingly meek and sweet. She is also happy and energetic, and was surrendered to the SPCA of Texas on Dec. 19 because her owner felt she was too needy! Roxi likes the indoors and outdoors and is crate trained. She's a good girl who deserves a good home. She'll do well with other dogs and older kids, but she may be a little too active for small children. #9321106

Miss Kitty is a 7-year-old female Domestic Shorthair grey and white tabby who was surrendered to the SPCA of Texas on Jan. 13 because her previous owner had too many animals. Miss Kitty's previous owner says that she's friendly, but may be a little timid at first. You probably notice that she likes to curl up in her cubbie and peek out at everyone? She'll come out when she has a loving new home to explore. Please come for a visit -- she'd love to meet you! #9452273

Roxi and Miss Kitty are waiting for you at the SPCA of Texas Perry Animal Care Center in McKinney, 8411 Stacy Road/FM 720. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Regular adoption fees are $185-$285 for puppies 0-6 months, $95-$195 for adult dogs 6 months or older, $75 for senior dogs 7 years or older, $50 for VIP dogs, $95 for cats, $125 for kittens, $75 for senior cats 7 years and older and $50 for VIP cats. Fee includes spay/neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations, a heartworm test for dogs 6 months and older, initial heartworm preventative for dogs, a feline leukemia test for cats 4 months and older, a microchip, a rabies tag and a free leash or cat carrier. Call 214-742-SPCA (7722) or visit www.spca.org.

Dallas Pets

Spike

Maxine Photos courtesy of the SPCA.

Spike is a 1-year-old male Australian Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler mix. Do you like smart, loyal dogs? Then Spike just might be your man. You see, he did well on his behavior evaluation and already knows how to sit. But there's still lots of stuff you could help him learn. Spike is heartworm positive, but that won't hold him back for long. Thanks to a generous donor, his heartworm treatments will be free to his new family. Come visit Spike and he'll give you lots of kisses! He was relinquished to the SPCA of Texas on Jan. 28. If you would like to help replenish funds used to treat heartworm positive animals like Spike, please call 214-742-SPCA, ext. 1832. #9406560

Maxine is a 15-year-old female Domestic Long Hair/Persian mix. She may be a senior citizen, but she still has plenty of pep. She loves to play with people and toys, and will purr loudly to show you how happy she is. Her previous owner had to bring her to the SPCA of Texas because they didn’t have a home anymore. If you’re looking for a mature, easy-going companion and would like to provide Maxine with a comfortable home for her retirement years, she would love to meet you. Please stop by anytime. She’ll be waiting for you. #9517298

Spike and Maxine are waiting to meet you at the SPCA of Texas Dealey Animal Care Center in Dallas at 362 S. Riverfront Blvd. (S. Industrial Blvd.) near downtown Dallas. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Regular adoption fees are $185-$285 for puppies 0-6 months, $95-$195 for adult dogs 6 months or older, $75 for senior dogs 7 years or older, $50 for VIP dogs, $95 for cats, $125 for kittens, $75 for senior cats 7 years and older and $50 for VIP cats. Fee includes spay/neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations, a heartworm test for dogs 6 months and older, initial heartworm preventative for dogs, a feline leukemia test for cats 4 months and older, a microchip, a rabies tag and a free leash or cat carrier. Call 214-742-SPCA (7722) or visit www.spca.org.

Pet Tip: Dogs Can Suffer from Allergies, Too
If your healthy dog suddenly becomes a nose-dripper or a foot-licker, he may be allergic to something. Unlike people, who sneeze and have problems with their eyes and noses when they have allergies, dogs are more likely to scratch, because when dogs are allergic, their skin tends to bother them.

Take allergies seriously: trying to scratch away the problem can cause hard-to-cure skin problems for your dog.

The four most common allergens are:
• Flea allergy dermatis: The fleas’ salvia initiates the allergic reaction during warm weather. If your dog starts biting his tail, that is usually an indicator. You may not see any fleas on him because there can be a delayed reaction of up to 72 hours. The best way to solve the problem is to get rid of the fleas on him and in your house.

• Dog food: He may be allergic to an ingredient in his food, like dairy products or preservatives. It is hard to tell if this is the problem -- usually a trip to the vet for some blood tests can help, but the only way to tell for sure is to get rid of almost all the ingredients your dog is eating and feed him with something with just a few items in it as a test.

• Atopic allergies: Similar to people who have hay fever, dogs can be allergic to certain pollens, molds and dust. If this is the case, you will notice a particular timeframe when your dog is really scratching his ears or face and chewing on his paws. To reduce your dog’s irritation, try to keep your dog’s area dust free, and get your dog out of the room before you dust or vacuum. Keep humidity levels below 60 percent to keep mites from reproducing.

• Allergic contact dermatitis: This can come from a flea collar, dyes in the carpet, your pet’s shampoo or other things his skin is in contact with. Usually the reaction will show up in the specific area that the item came in contact with. For example, if your pet’s neck breaks out, he may be allergic to his collar. Try substituting or not using those items at all if the problem continues.

If you're concerned that your dog may be suffering from allergies, start by speaking with your veterinarian.

For more information about the SPCA of Texas, visit www.spca.org or call 214-742-SPCA (7722).

About the author: Maura Davies is senior director of communications for the SPCA of Texas. She is based in Dallas.