Healthy Kids    

Easy tips for a safer home with pets



There is no reason to be afraid of sharing your life with your pet!

Dr. Christina Winter of Flannery Animal Hospital in New Windsor offers some practical tips to use at home to keep everyone disease free:

1. Don’t let your pet lick you in the face.

This one can be tough sometimes, especially for children. Who doesn’t love puppy kisses? But remember that animals use their tongues to groom and clean themselves.

2. Wash your hands after playing with your pet.

This common sense tip can go a long way to preventing the spread of parasites that your pet may have brought inside.

3. Bathe your animals regularly

Animals, especially dogs, love to roll around on the ground and dig in the dirt, and that means all the wildlife that surrounds us can get brought inside right along with them.

4. Use a poop scoop

This can be a pain but both pets and kids alike can step in a pile of feces and track it throughout your home.

5. Clean paws when coming back inside

Your pet isn’t going to tell you their paws are dirty and you don’t want to have to wait for footprints on your floor. Better to make this a regular habit upon entering your home.

6. Leave your shoes at the door

Not only will this help your floors stay clean, it can help prevent the possibility of tracking unwanted parasites into your home.

7. Keep the sandbox covered

Kids love to play in the sandbox. Unfortunately, so do a lot of the wildlife that call the Hudson Valley home. Keep it covered so that your kids can play safe and you can worry less.