By Jolena Austin – 8 week intern

Here in Ban Naklang Village, there are roughly 60 village dogs. The village dogs are at a higher risk of getting exposed to fleas and ticks because they have more freedom to roam the village and into the forest. In order to minimize flea infestation and tick borne diseases for both animals and the villagers, the Kindred Spirit interns help protect the dogs by giving them flea prevention once a month.

The village dogs are very friendly and enjoy spending a lot of quality time with the humans here. Staying on a monthly flea & tick schedule helps every dog’s quality of life. Flea prevention prevents the village dogs from discomfort, skin infections, flea infestations, and diseases like Lyme disease and mange.

Here is how to apply the medication:
1. Crack open the tube
2. Feel for the base of the skull, on the neck
3. Split the dogs hair until you see skin
4. Then, apply it externally starting at the base of the skull.
– You can either apply the entire tube in a blob at the base of the skull OR
– Start at the base of the skull and drag the tub down in a line until you reach between the dog’s shoulder blades, about a 4-5 inch line
5. The goal is to apply the full amount of the medication in the spot where the dog cannot lick the medication off. Some dogs may be trickier than others to apply the medication, so bringing dog food bowls with you helps attract and distract the pups, which makes the application process easier.

In this community the village dogs are a huge part of the village family. Without them it feels less like home. Everyone takes care of everyone here, so this includes the people, dogs, and the other animals in the village. We have so much fun as a team carrying out this important project!