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Dear Heloise: My vet told me to make certain that my dog has fresh water every day. The big water bowl is in the kitchen, which is inside my house, so why does he need fresh water daily? — Joyce F., in Arcadia, Florida
Joyce, your dog’s saliva and germs contaminate the water that he drinks. If you leave this water for three or four days, bacteria multiplies hour after hour. Then there’s also your average amount of dust and loose hair that floats into the water. And if other animals are drinking from the same bowl, then their bacteria is present as well. Before you know it, the water bowl contains some unsafe water for your pet to drink.
In the summer heat, animals drink a lot of water, so just adding fresh water to the old water doesn’t help. The sides of the bowl are coated with dog germs and saliva, which keep bacteria levels high. — Heloise
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TANGLED CAT HAIR
Dear Heloise: My cat gets knots in his long hair, especially near his inner thigh. Is it OK to just cut these knots out? My husband thinks we should try to work through them. — Lorrain L., in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Lorrain, yes, cut them out. If you wait too long, sores will develop on your cat’s skin. However, be sure to work a comb under the knot first before you start cutting. This way, you won’t cut the cat.
To avoid knots, brush your cat daily if you can. Shampoo your cat at least once a month (starting when they’re a month old to get them used to water and the whole process); this will help wash away dead hairs and keep their skin clean. If your cat fights you on knot removal day, perhaps you can have a groomer do it instead. — Heloise
WHICH APPLE IS IT?
Dear Heloise: I’ve been reading your columns about growing apples on prairies, hoping to see a description of the best apple that I’ve ever tasted. It grows at a friend’s farm just north of Minnedosa Manitoba, which is considered Zone 2. I’m not a huge fan of apples, but this one changed my mind. I recall that it was ripe in early September; the flavor and texture were superb. It appears to be heart-shaped with white flesh and a red blush. It’s red-skinned, with the skin being easy to bite into.
I, of course, asked what it was. But the memory of what type of apple it is or if it was a grafted variety has been lost over the more than 40 years of the family owning the farm. They seemed to think that it wasn’t a long-keeping apple. I did try to graft it, but as it was my first attempt, it failed. I’m hoping that you might be able to identify this delightful apple. — Max, via email
Max, I’m sorry; I don’t know which apple this would be. Readers, do any of you know the name of the apple that Max described above? Please let us know here at Heloise@Heloise.com, and we’ll print your letter. — Heloise
WINE RACK REUSE
Dear Heloise: I love your column. You always have so many useful hints for everyone. Here’s one of mine: My brother loves working with wood, so as a wedding gift, he made a wine rack for us. It’s large and meant to sit on the floor. He made it out of maple wood in an ornate style, and it’s really beautiful. But since my husband and I don’t drink, we decided to use it as a magazine rack by rolling up magazines and placing them into the holes. — Sherry J., in Lawton, Oklahoma