A letter from the Author

Dear Reader:

I have been involved with dogs most of my life, generally the mixed breed variety.
In 1974 I became actively involved in caring for, loving and later breeding Golden Retrievers.

I had the good fortune to become associated with (as a client of his) a veterinarian who
understood (and shared) my concern about parasites.  With his help and guidance I gained
the knowledge I felt I needed concerning the life cycle of the parasites that pose a daily threat to our pets.

My involvement with this magnificent breed of the Golden Retriever resulted in my becoming deeply
engrossed in much research on the care of all dogs.  That research, together with my personal involvement,
led to the composition of a manuscript now entitled Country Dogs and City Cousins (The care and loving of all puppies).
My daily concern about the parasites that threaten to invade pets' bodies led to the composition of this book.
I trust you will find it informative.  If my efforts help you to become aware of only one thing you did not know
before reading it, I will feel I have made a small contribution.

Sincerely,

Marion Damroth of
   THE HOME OF FROSTED SUNSHINE

P.S. My apology to the feminists among my readers, but for the sake of expediency, I have used "he" in reference
to the puppies (or dogs) most of the time.

Understanding parasites is the key in winning the war	Most puppies have worms.  Mature dogs can acquire worms	Proper treatment depends on proper diagnosis
One worming does not always rid the pup or dog of parasites	Any specimen taken to the veterinarian should be fresh	Many worm meds can be toxic or lethal when used at the same time..
Any female should be wormed prior to any breeding	Do not worm your puppy or dog for the sake of worming	Roundworm Whipworm
Strongyloid worms Tapeworm	There are three types of tapeworm	Coccidia
Heartworm infection is becoming a more serious problem	Ear mites are external parasites and inhabits the external ear canal	Ticks are also a nuisance than must be dealt with
All external parasites can be a source of irritation to your dog	Don't believe that because you don't see worms, you have no problem	A minimum of every three months would not be too frequent
Do not overlook your cat in the battle against parasites	Parasites can be transmitted by birds as well as other wild animals	Do not declare war on nature, but we can declare war on parasites

P.S.  Permission was granted by the author of this book to include it on our website.