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It's A Dog's Life
So you might as well enjoy it
Lessons in Assertiveness
by Sparky, the Wonder Dog
Edited by P.V. Alvarado
Tick Sick
Dear Sparky,
My master has me de-ticked at least once a month, but it never fails. As soon as we get home, those pesky little creatures are waiting to ambush me. I’m not allowed inside the house so no matter where I make my bed, they find me. There’s no place to hide. I spend my days rolling and scratching and my nights moaning and twitching. Fedora the Feline told me they carry disease. Is this true?
What can I do, Sparky? I´m sick of these ticks!
Ticked in Thomasville
Dear Ticked,
Fedora is right. Ticks do carry disease, and they can make you deathly ill. Sometimes a change of diet can help. Have you ever heard of a "Salty Dog"? Well, you must become one. Add salt to your diet. This will make the ticks stop biting. Also, you might try a pod of garlic a day or some brewer’s yeast. This may give you bad breath and a bit of gas, but at this stage, who cares, right?
I don’t know how you could communicate this information to your master, though. The only suggestion I can make is to sleep near the doorjamb. Ticks like to travel. If they crawl under the door, and your master finds them in the house, he may call the local bug man to come and spray the yard. This would give you some relief. Once a month is not enough. He should remove the ticks more often.
Hope you get help soon.
Sparky
