Paw-dner up with Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund to fight the bite
Fans of Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund are invited to get a 'pawtograph' at Calgary's Signal Hill Animal Clinic on Saturday while learning about the importance of preventing flea and tick bites in pets.
Famous for starring in a series of online videos, Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund will be at the clinic (1919 Sirocco Dr. S.W.) from noon to 3 p.m. with owner Ryan Beauchesne for the final stop of the cross-Canada, No Bite Is Right Tour, aimed at raising awareness around tick and flea bite prevention.
The issue is an important one for Beauchesne as Crusoe was bitten by a tick about two years ago during a vacation in Florida.
"It's pretty scary because they can carry Lyme disease," he said.
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"So it made sense to go on tour across Canada and meet our fans and at the same time raise awareness on the importance of tick bites."
Ticks are active when the mercury rises above about 4 C, and can carry Lyme disease.
Symptoms of Lyme disease in pets include:
- lameness.
- swelling in the joints.
- swollen lymph nodes.
- lethargy.
- loss of appetite.
And being in a major centre doesn't mean pet owners don't have to worry.
"Even in city centres ... we've talked to vet clinics and they're seeing positive Lyme results," said Beauchesne.
"It's something more pet owners need to be aware of."
Crusoe shot to fame after Beauchesne started a blog of the dog dressed up in various costumes.
One of the most popular was the dog playing hockey with another dachshund, Oakley, dressed in Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs uniforms.
That spawned further videos and eventually a book, The Adventures of The Wiener Dog Extraordinaire – Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund, which became a New York Times bestseller.
He also appeared in a Heinz commercial shown during the Super Bowl.
"It started all just for fun, no grand aspirations or anything and it snowballed into a life of its own," said Beauchesne.
"It's been my full-time job for two years."
