Annual check-up

Now Chiaro di Luna has passed, we can begin to use various dog runs again that only accept two dogs per owner. Registration for dog runs (and of course for overnight stays in pet hotels) requires owners to submit proof up-to-date annual rabies shots and vaccination. 
The city organizes group rabies shots rotating round the local parks, so my babies will be getting theirs as usual come early April, and since you need a month between shots, Nobunaga gets his vaccination round about now, and Claire a little later in the year. Including the cost of the check up, the February/July vaccination is roughly US $100 per dog, April rabies shots without the check-up are $35, so $70 for the two setters. This way I spread out the financial burden, with the annual cost of six-month heartworm prevention due in May (that's actually quite costly because the dogs are slightly larger and need more of the meds)...

Fortunately I shampoo the dogs myself with Luminosa shampoo, which is an all natural best only shampoo researched and developed by an Afghan hound rescuer friend, although Nobunaga gets his yearly professional summer grooming at Inuya in May too. I take along my Luminosa shampoo bottle and ask them to use it on him there too, and they are kind enough to oblige. Luminosa shampoo was very helpful with a friend's schnauzer who had skin issues, along with salmon oil drops in their food.
Personally I'm more into preventive measures, trying to include more vegies and vitamins to the daily kibble. I avoid using Frontline if possible, what with my aroma oil flea mix and doggie sprays before walkies, and good brushing and flea combing evenings as we snuggle and lounge around. Not quite got to a total raw food diet, but the babies did get a clean bill of health from the vet again this time round, perfect weight, perfect health, just age slowly making itself felt...I think I need to watch my own diet a bit too!