By Dave Woods • Official Kids Mag
Dr. Jack Herring knows a thing or three
about dogs and how to keep them healthy
and 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."
Local Veterinarian offers tips
to ensure good pet health
A KID'S
BEST
FRIEND
What is Parvo? The canine
parvovirus infection is a highly contagious
viral illness that affects dogs. The more
common form is the intestinal form, which
is characterized by vomiting, diarrhea,
weight loss, and lack of appetite.
Source: perMed.com
Dr. Herring provides
medical treatment for dogs
rescued by the Animal League of
Northwest Arkansas. These two Yorkies
pictured were recently removed from
an unhealthy situation. His two kids,
Leallen Gallion, 9, Holcomb Elementary
in Fayetteville and Allyah Kat Simpson,
6, Butterfield Elementary, offer a little
love to them during a recent visit to
their dad's animal hospital.
"A kid's best friend can be their
dog. I believe that. They exist
to play and learn, and dogs and
kids both want to do that."
Dr. Jack Herring
Off icialKidsMag.com • AUG & SEPT 2018 • 35
