HELOISE Pet store had to cough up Brandy's vet fees

Dear Readers: Candy and David Hynes of Keansburg, N.J., sent a letter about their little Pomeranian puppy, Brandy. They want to stress the importance of visiting a veterinarian within seven days after you purchase your puppy. They almost lost Brandy to kennel cough.
The first night Brandy slept in their bedroom, they noticed that she sneezed a few times, but they didn't think much about it. Later on, Brandy was having trouble breathing, and she had a very deep cough. They called a vet at the 24-hour emergency animal hospital and were told to bring her in. She was diagnosed with kennel cough. She needed antibiotics and rest. The bill was $101, and they received a paper from the vet saying Brandy was "unfit for sale," which meant that the store had to replace her or pay her doctor fees.
Since they were already smitten with her, giving her back wasn't an option. Another cost was a $73 visit to their regular veterinarian because the original antibiotic wasn't working, so she was prescribed another. It's nice to know that Brandy is doing fine now. Heloise
Dear Readers: Jane, one of my assistants, took a photo of a live chameleon resting on a ceramic lizard that hangs on her backyard wall. This little chameleon visits quite frequently. Looks like it might be love at first sight. Visit my Web site, www.Heloise.com, and click on This Week's Pet to see this "mismatched" couple. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Now that spring is here, I'm excited about birds coming to our yard. We have quite a few bird feeders for seed and wanted a different type for suet -- something interesting. The perfect one was found while walking near a wooded area: a log about 8 inches wide by 2 feet long. I drilled holes all around the log and smaller holes under them to attach little sticks for the birds to stand on, then put a wire through the top to hang off a tree branch. It works great, and the birds are flocking to it. Johnny W., via e-mail
Dear Heloise: My cat has a hairball problem and sometimes gets sick. I bought a plastic pillow protector and put it over the separate pillow that came with the cat bed. To keep the plastic from getting soiled, I used an old towel and tucked it around the bed and the pillow. Now if my cat gets sick, all that has to be changed is the towel. The pillow is always protected by the plastic cover.
This would work for dog beds, too, if a dog had an accident. Chris Lowe, Sioux City, Iowa
Dear Readers: If you just brought home a new puppy or kitty and decided to keep it in your bedroom at night, keep a flashlight handy. If you have to get up for any reason, using the flashlight rather than turning on a light is less startling for your new pet.
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.
King Features Syndicate