Dallas Pets

Ike

Domino

Ike is a one-year-old male blonde Lab mix with the deepest, most entrancing eyes around. Look into his eyes, say "I am falling in love, I am falling in love," and you'll be hooked. Ike has a lot of young-dog energy, which means he will need plenty of exercise. However, he is leash trained and loves to be brushed. Ike weighs 38 pounds right now, but he could use a few more healthy pounds. Then he'll be the perfect walking or jogging buddy. His previous owners surrendered him to the SPCA of Texas on May 22, and they left behind the information that he would do best in a house without a cat. In his previous home he was housetrained, but after living in the shelter, it might take him just a short time to remember all his housetraining skills. #6092201

Domino is a two-year-old male black and white Domestic Shorthair cat. He was transferred from another shelter for a second chance at finding a forever home. Domino is timid at first in new surroundings and will need a patient adopter with a less active home, but he'll warm up to his new family quickly and will be a wonderful companion. He loves attention and can be a big ham. His previous owners surrendered him to the SPCA of Texas on May 12 because they were allergic to him. He's waiting for another chance at finding his perfect family. #7398239

Ike and Domino are waiting to meet you at the SPCA of Texas Dealey Animal Care Center in Dallas at 362 South Industrial Blvd near downtown. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Regular adoption fees are $185-$285 for puppies 0-6 months, $95-$195 for adult dogs 6 months or older, $75 for senior dogs 7 years or older, $50 for VIP dogs, $125 for cats, $95 for kittens, $75 for senior cats 7 years and older and $50 for VIP cats.  Fee includes spay/neuter surgery, all age-appropriate shots, a heartworm test for dogs 6 months and older, a feline leukemia test for cats 4 months and older, a microchip and a free leash or cat carrier. Call 214-742-SPCA (7722) or visit www.spca.org.

Pet Tip: Fleas -- Tiny Pests, Dangerous to Pets

Like it or not, owning pets in Texas means that at some time or another, you're likely to have the added experience of owning fleas as well. To ensure your pet doesn't suffer from a flea infestation, the SPCA of Texas recommends regular flea and tick prevention for all your pets.

Just getting to know more about fleas is enough to give anyone the shivers. Here are some flea trivia to enlighten you.

• The life cycle of a flea can be as short as three weeks or as long as two years.
• Fleas are the intermediate hosts for tapeworms in dogs and cats.
• They can cause anemia in their victims.

You can tell if your pet has fleas if:

• There are red or reddish-brown shapes jumping or moving around in your pet's fur.
• There are black or brown specks in the coat that turn red when exposed to a damp paper towel. These occur especially over the back and tail area.
• Your pet is scratching or biting intensely.

Fleas are annoying to everyone, but especially to pets with flea allergies. When a flea bites a pet, the animal's immune system can set off a hypersensitive reaction that creates even more severe itching when the pet is bitten again. Therefore, a single flea bite can set off a delayed itch reaction from flea bites received over the past six months. This causes never-ending itching and hives-like lesions.

The best way to prevent your pet from being infested by fleas is to use a treatment that does not require the flea to bite the animal in order to ingest the insect toxin. These treatments kill fleas on contact with the pet's skin and kill eggs and larvae. To purchase flea preventative from the SPCA of Texas, give us a call at 214.742.SPCA (7722) for an appointment (appointments preferred, walk-ins welcome). For more information on the SPCA of Texas, visit www.spca.org.

About the author: Maura Davies is senior director of communications for the SPCA of Texas. She is based in Dallas.