Local Veterinarian Offers Tips to Ensure Good Pet Health
By Dave Woods • Official Kids Mag
Dr. Jack Herring knows a thing or three about dogs and how to ensure pet health to keep them happy. But, he said, it all starts with picking the perfect pooch for your family.
“I like Boston terriers because they are indestructible,” the Oklahoma State University trained veterinarian said. “They can play rough and they are gentle enough with kids. They can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin.’”
The size of a dog and the size of the kids in the house plays a role, too.
“You don’t want to look for a two-pound Chihuahua
or a little Yorkie,” he said. “You don’t want to play too rough. A big dog might knock kids over and hurt them. You want to look for a medium dog with a good personality.”
Dr. Herring practices veterinary medicine at Wedington Animal Hospital in Fayetteville. He sees a lot of dogs that have been abandoned and mistreated come through his office. He suggests when you are looking for a new pet, a shelter rescue dog is the way to go.
“A lot of the dogs are abandoned, end up in shelters and have abuse histories,” he explained. “You want to involve all of the family members and learn its personality and how it’s going to respond to each family member before you make a decision. It’s about making the right match for the age of the kids and family situation.”
Whether your dog is from a shelter, or it’s a long time family friend, ensuring good health is important Dr. Herring said. Good pet health starts with one simple thing.
“It’s preventative medicine,” he stressed. “We see so much parvovirus here. A family will come in with a six-month old dog that had its first set of puppy shots. But now, it has a serious viral disease. Vaccinations are the No. 1 thing that can prevent disease. It just takes diligence. Deworming is important, too. We see them get so sick from intestinal parasites. Most of the things we see are just so preventable with regular vet care and good flea and tick control.”