Rankin Inlet (Sep 24/03) - Pet owners in Rankin Inlet are a responsible bunch.

That's the opinion of the animal-care specialists from Winnipeg's Tuxedo Animal Hospital who visited the community for a two-day clinic earlier this month.

The team of Dr. Stavros Iacovides, Dr. Pat Dorval and technician Jenn Dakin tended to the needs of about 80 dogs and cats during their visit.

The team's visit was helped made possible by the combined efforts of First Air, Piruqsaijit, the hamlet and the curling club.

Dr. Iacovides said the overall health of the animals the team saw was very good.

"We saw some very good pet owners in Rankin Inlet during the weekend," said Iacovides

"We did a lot of preventative health medicine, such as vaccinating, spaying and neutering.

"By far, the most common affliction we had to deal with was parasites, so we did a lot of de-worming."

About 25 combined spays and neuters were performed, which Iacovides said is another good sign of responsible pet owners.

A special spay and neutering fund was available to help anyone who may have had trouble meeting the cost of the procedures.

Iacovides, Dorval and Dakin were kept busy during their stay, putting in two 14-hour days.

When it comes to keeping pets healthy between visits, Iacovides said simply paying attention can pay big dividends.

He said proper exercise and a little TLC can help pet owners keep in touch with their animals.

"You should make sure they're eating and drinking properly, and watch for change in their behaviour patterns like becoming lethargic, aggressive, or, in a dog's case, if it stops wagging its tail."

Iacovides said the sudden loss or gain of weight on an animal could also be an early sign of problems.

He said owners can save their pets a lot of future problems by staying on top of things before they become a problem and taking them for annual checkups. "It's good for us to be able to make an annual trip to Rankin to help with preventative care and avoid the cost of having to fly the animals down South."