October 12,1976
How to Prolong Your Dog or Cat's Life
BY
CATHERINE VANNEMAN
Having worked as a veterin
ary assistant for a total of about
two and a half years, I have
noted a few chronic problems
experienced by dog and cat
owners that could be avoided.
The more crucial of these
problems concern early care of
puppies and kittens, vaccin
ations, intetinal worms, heart
worms, and grooming.
In this article I hope to furnish
information that you will find
useful in avoiding these pitfalls.
When you first get a dog
or cat, regardless of age, the
best thing to do is take it to
a vet for an exam. If the
animal is purebred it's a good
idea to have it examined before
you buy it if the owner is
willing. (You may want to
question their reluctance if they
refuse.) When you take it
to the vet's also take a stool
sample. You can probably
find one under your bed or
even outside. Try to get a
recent one and take it in some
plastic, or aluminum foil.
If you have the time to wait
in the reception room, by the
time you get in to see the vet
they will probably be able to
tell you whether or not your
pet has worms. (Please call
to find out their office hours.)
If it is agreeable to the vet
HHSMBQT A
' IS Wm \ mk l
Lt. Gov. Jim Hunt
David Flaherty
(again, call to find out), you
may be able to leave the animal
at the vet's in the morning and
pick it up later in the day, after
it has been examined and
wormed, if worming was
necessary. Always take a stool
sample with you, if you want
the dog/cat checked for
worms. It's a lot easier for
you to get one.
When you go to get your
animal, the vet will tell you the
results of the exam, and make
recommendations for further
care. Concerning shots they
are really necessary. They can
be pretty expensive, but they
can save your pet's life. Dis
temper shots are very import
ant, if you're going to scrimp
anywhere don't scrimp here.
Distemper is a very hard disease
to treat, and is a terrible.
Old Political Patterns Emerge Again
BY 808 WELLS
With both the Presidential
and Gubernatorial elections
just a few weeks off, a look at
how they are related shows
some old patterns reappearing
that will shape the future.
Jim Hunt, the Democratic
nominee for governor, has
crossed a boundary which no
other candidate in this state has
done since 1960. He supported
a Presidential candidate who
ultimately won his party's
nomination. The last Democrat
to do so successfully was Terry
Sanford who was an early and
ardent backer of John
Kennedy. Their dual Democ
ratic alliance led them to victory
and has not been repeated
since. This may be an under
lying factor in Hunt's strategy,
hoping to usher in a new era
of Democratic politics under
the auspices of Jimmy Carter.
In 1964, Democratic guber
natorial nominee, Dan Moore,
waited until the last moment
to embrace Lyndon Johnson
and it was due to his tardiness
that no positive bond between
The Guilfordian
pitiful way for an animal to die.
Young kittens and puppies are
especially susceptible to this
very contagious disease. You
are taking a chance when you
get a pet from the pound,
for this reason.
Rabies vaccinations are
required by law for dogs. Some
people get them for their cats
if they are going to be let
outside. For cats there is
also a vaccine for Pneumonitis,
an upper respiratory infection
that is very contagious. I
have heard mixed opinions
about the effectiveness of this
vaccine, so ask your vet her/his
opinion.
Because we have so much
warm weather in which
mosquitoes can thrive, your vet
may suggest putting your dog
on heartworm preventative.
the two candidates ever
emerged. Between elections
the Vietnam war reached its
peak and it proved to be the
downfall of the Democrats and
LBJ. Enter Richard Nixon.
The national stage was set
in 1968 for a Republican victory
while the Democratic nominee
for governor. Bob Scott,
pledged allegance to Ed Muskie
and stressed his ties to his
father, a former Governor, Kerr
Scott. Both Scott and Nixon
won, resulting in a party split
between White House and
Statehouse.
In 1972 the Democratic
nominee for Governor,
Hargrave Boyles, did not even
come close to George
McGovern and both lost decis
ively in the tide of Republican
ism shown at the polls. At
the same time, Nixon had
emerged "triumphant" (so he
claimed) from Vietnam and his
dream of a Republican majority
was within his grasp. This can
be seen in the victories of two
North Carolina Republicans,
James Holshouser (the first
Republican elected Governor
since reconstruction) and
(Cats almost never get heart
worms.) Dogs get heartworms
when they dre bitten by a
mosquito that has previously
bitten an infested dog. Heart
worm larva are contaned in the
blood of an infested dog.
These worms'actually live in
dogs' hearts and can greatly
decrease the heart's efficiency,
and shorten the dog's life span.
The preventative is a medic
ation you will probably have
to give your dog every day
for about ten months out of the
year.
If a dog gets heartworms,
the treatment is lengthy,
expensive, and the series of
intra-venous injections given
in the first phase of treatment
can be rough on some dogs.
If you dog is young enough
you can usually start him/her
Jessie Helms, U.S. Senator,
both of whom rode to victory
on the coat tail of Nixon. But
then came Watergate and its
immense complexities which
finally circumvented Nixon and
his grand hope.
Despite the resignation of
Nixon and the rough primary
season, the Republicans have
come out fighting and are run
ning an effective campaign.
Carter, after a strong showing
in the second debate, is still
being stalked by Hugh Hefner
-while Ford is plagued by the
Special Prosecutor and the
verbal blessings of Earl Butz.
Thus 1976 is a watershed
year in party preference. Can
the Hunt Carter coalition
bring victory for the Democ
rats? Will David Flaherty win,
thus forgiving the Republicans
for a lackluster performance
by Holshouser?
Can Gerald Ford overcome
the Reaganites who may stay
home on election day?
These questions will be
answered shortly and the
choices that are made will
effect both parties future and
our own.
Page 3
on the preventative. An older
dog will need to have its blood
checked to see if it has heart
worms first. Ask your vet what
she/he thinks you should do
in respect to heartworms.
If your pet has long hair,
comb it! An animal's hair
gets tangled too. Worst of
all, it can get matted. These
mats can foster skin sores
and diseases, provide a home
for maggots in those sores,
and/or drive the animal crazy
with itching. Typical matted
areas are; behind the ears,
under the neck, the "armpits"
and entire underside, and also
along the backs of the rear legs.
But mats can be anywhere;
between the towes, around the
toenails, or inside an ear.
During the early summer, dogs
such as German Shepards,
Collies, Spitzes, Huskies, Chow
Chows, Norwegian Elkhounds,
and others, need to be brushed
or combed frequently to
control the huge amount of
winter undercoat they lose in
that season. Or one can be
content to vacuum all day and
eat dog hair for breakfast.
Naturally, it's best to comb
your long-haired dog/cat daily,
but try to do it at least once
a month in the trouble spots.
I think a comb works best.
If you animal has bad mats,
get a friend you think it trusts
continued on page 4
Poems
BY RUTHANNA HAINES
EMOTION COLOR
The unseen pianist conveys a
mood of somber grey
While I stare into a sky of still
blue.
And I hear a familiar knock
upon the door,
My inner Mood turning from
quiet to cheery hue.
Pinks turn to reds of brilliancy
glowing
As one who has knocked
gently steps past the threshold.
He draws nearer with arms
outstretched,
Oranges turn suddenly, as he
embraces me.
To blazing gold.
(untitled)
Trivial thoughts of what might
have been said
lay quiet, discarded, as if
they were wrong
feelings bring to mind and
again they exist
chances recur but no
needle to be thread.