Traveling with your Dog or Cat

 Traveling by Car

It is very common to have our dog or cat be a traveling companion on family trips nowadays. There are some important recommendations for before and during your trip.

Take your pet to the veterinarian before leaving on your car trip. I would advise a week in advance at least just in case there is some health concern that needs to be addressed. During this time any vaccines, flea and tick/heartworm prevention, microchip placement can be addressed. If traveling to another country by car ie; Mexico or Canada) from the US you will require a health certificate for your pet. This can be given to you be your vet (Certified Veterinarian)

If your dog or cat gets very nervous during car trips or experiencing motion sickness your veterinarian can recommend certain medications to address both syndromes.

You should bring fresh drinking water and our pet's regular food. You should bring bowls for placing the water and food. There are collapsible bowls that you can purchase to save room in the car. It is also advisable to bring "poop" bags, paper towels, wet wipes for easy clean up.

Keeping your furry loved ones save should be your first priority. Pets should not be allowed to move freely about the car while in motion. There are seatbelt harnesses made for dogs or they should be crated this is so they do not get thrown around in the event of an accident or keeping them from escaping and running away when opening the car door.

Cats should be kept in carriers. If traveling a long way you can bring a litter box to place in car and let cat out to go to the bathroom than you can bag up litter and wastes to discard. If staying at hotels you can set it up there. be very careful if cat loose in car that he or she does not escape.

Air Travel with Your Pets

There is a definite increase in pet air travel during holidays and summer.

It is very important to be well prepared when traveling with your pet. Leaving yourself time to plan is very important.

Know the requirements of the airline you are using to fly and the city, state or country you will be traveling to. the requirements for traveling within the United States is not that stringent, however if traveling to other countries requirements can be much more stringent. In some cases you need to start the process in a year in advance.

Contact your veterinarian or a pet transportation specialist (PetRelocation.com) to assist you with required vaccines, testing and health certificates.

In most cases you will need to get a health certificate from your veterinarian. Please check with the airline as to how many days before travel the certificate must be issued. If traveling internationally make sure you know the requirements!

Flying your Pet in the Cabin

Most airlines require pets to be under a certain weight to be in the cabin with their owners. The carrier you use must fit under the seat in front of you. I advise to check with the airline about the carrier size and dimensions and if the total weight is pet and carrier together.

Make sure you make a reservation for pet along with your ticket. Be sure to confirm this reservation with the airline a day before traveling so there are no mistakes.

Some animals may be stressed or frightened by travel. Consider tranquilizers. If your pet is traveling in the cabin with you, you may just want to have some on hand in case of unexpected anxiety.

Flying your Pet as Cargo

Contact the airline and know the breed, weight and size restrictions.

Make sure you label the crate appropriately. Include your name, address, phone number, origination and destination cities.

Inside the crate make sure you have bowls for food and water attached to the crate so it does not tip over. The floor of the crate should have absorbent material such as "wee-wee" pads or newspaper.

*** Make sure plan ahead to make sure your travels are as stress-free as possible.

With the warm weather upon us many pet owners begin to shave their dogs especially the heavier coated breeds. Most owners  shave their dogs to make the warm weather more bearable. But is it really helping your dog stay cooler? This topic of shaving dogs in the spring and summer has been a controversial one. Basically, there is not an easy answer.  There are pros and cons to shaving your dog.

Cons:

1. Clipping your leaves them less protected against the sun's harmful UV and making them more predisposed to skin cancer.

2. The coat acts insulate your pet from hot air convection/conduction. Since dogs do not sweat like humans, the air moving over their skin is likely to cool them significantly.

3.  Shaving your dog can sometimes lead to skin infections and post shave alopecia (especially arctic breeds). The alopecia  can last  long periods or never grown in again.

Pros:

1.  It does make grooming easier!  Bathing and drying is much quicker.

2.  Short coats make it easier to observe fleas or ticks on  dogs.

3.  May be protective against "hotspots" (moist bacterial skin infections).

3.  Cooling down in water or cool rooms is probably quicker since there is no coat slow it down.

4.  Most people that do shave their dog's find that they do seem much more active  and happier.

I  believe the benefits your dog receives from shaving your dog outweigh any detriment that could happen. However make sure to protect your dog from the sun.  You can protect your dog by not spending long periods of time in direct sunlight or/and using sunscreen. Becareful of the type of suncreen you use because of ingestion. There is a sunscreen made for dogs called Epi-Pet suncreen protector or you can used sunscreen made for babies.

The Dog Days of Summer

Protecting our Dogs and Cats from the Hot Weather

It is time to start thinking about protecting our dogs and cats from the hot humid weather that is upon us. The heat can quickly effect our pets if we are not careful. This is because they have a less efficient mode of dissipating heat. Dogs and cats cannot sweat like humans to release heat.  Dogs and cats pant and drool, blood vessels dilate and heat is released by evaporation and radiation. The surface area of this heat exchange is much smaller than the human body.  The fur coat reduces heat exchange so it is protective in some ways against heat it also acts to keep heat trapped in the body.

Recommendations for hot humid days (approximately temperatures over 88F);

            - Dogs should not engage in play or long walks during the hotter parts of the day which is usually middle ofthe day. Mornings and evenings are usually cooler so are better times to walk.

            - Outdoor walks and other play times should be shortened in duration.      Approximately 20 minutes at a timemay be long enough. Monitor your dog, if signs of overheating are observed than make it shorter.

            -Short nosed breeds (brachycephalic) such as English and French Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston terriers, Pekingeseetc; should not have any excessive activity during hot   days.  Keep walks short to stretch your dogs legs and to give them some fresh air. Walks approximately 15 minutes in length is probably best.

            -  Always provide water on walks and at playtime. I recommend bringing bottled water and a flexible bowl ontrips out. This makes it convenient to give your dog water. Baby pools are great for dogs to soak and cooldown.

            - NEVER keep your pet in a closed car for any length of time during the hot humid days. If you have your dogor cat in the car on temperate days make sure the windows are open enough for air circulation.Surprisingly,  people still leave their pets in the car when is too hot. leading to the death of their pet.

Signs that your dog is becoming overheated;

            - panting heavily that progresses to panting and excessive salivation, dark red gums and tongue.

            - weak and does not rise up to walk

            - if prolonged, heatstroke can occur, gums may become very dark red to purple   and then become pale as shocksets in, more vomiting and diarrhea can occur, body temperature will drop due to body shock andneurologic abnormalities such as wobbliness, dizziness and seizures will develop. Death will soon follow.

What you can do to treat your dog if overheated?

You can take your dog's temperature with a rectal thermometer. I recommend a digital flexible tip thermometer which can be purchased at any drug store.  Lube the end with Vaseline and introduce about 1.5 inches into rectum. Normal body temperature is a range of 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 102.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Heatstroke most commonly happens at temperatures over 106 degrees Fahrenheit

If your dog is overheated (body temperature approximately 104 F to 105.5 F) but not experiencing heatstroke(body temperature of 106 F and higher) you can place your dog in shade or cool area and hose down with cool water. You should never use ice or place in an ice bath because it can make your dog worse. Provide cool water to drink.

If your dog is experiencing heatstroke than you can perform the above to get started on treatment but getting to your veterinarian immediately is imperative!

Cats can also become overheated and develop heatstroke. However because they live mainly indoors and are better at finding cooler areas to settle it is uncommon. The signs and treatments are same for cats as they are for dogs.

Pancreatitis

Even though the holidays are past us I am still caring for sick dogs and cats due ingestion of human holiday food. The signs owners will observe are vomiting, lack of appetite, painful belly and possibly diarrhea. These set of signs are not definitive for pancreatitis but they are enough to warrant further investigating by your veterinarian.

Pancreatitis is a term used when the pancreas is inflamed. The pancreas an organ located near your pet’s stomach and portion of the small intestine referred to as the duodenum. One of the functions of the pancreas is to secrete enzyme into the small intestines to help digest food. In the normal pancreas digestive enzymes are stored in an inactive state so as not to digest itself.  In pancreatitis, the inactive enzymes become activated and start to digest the pancreas. When this happens the pancreas becomes inflamed causing release of more enzymes, which causes a cascade of detrimental effects.  Severe pancreatitis can lead to liver, kidney, lung and heart damage.

The primary cause of pancreatitis is not known definitively known, there are certain factors are that will predispose the pet to develop pancreatitis. 

Some risk factors are;

-       ingestion of a fatty meal or certain prescription drugs

-       obesity

-       Prior disease such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease, hypertriglyceridemia

(fatty blood)

-       Breeds such as Yorkshire terriers, Schnauzers, Labrador Retrievers, and Minature Poodles seem to develop pancreatitis with higher prevalence

-       Parasitic infections such as flukes

-       Traumatic injury such as a dog or cat hit by a motor vehicle.

Steps you can take to help prevent your dog or cat from developing pancreatitis;

-       Do not feed fatty foods such as the fatty leftovers from meat. Do not chronically feed fatty foods.

-       Keep your dog or cat in good body condition (Do not yet your pet get fat!), exercise is important.

-       Keep your pet on a regular deworming regimen.

-       Diligently care for your pet’s condition’s

-       Take your pet to the veterinarian. Do not ignore the signs of vomiting and lack of appetite.

It is a very exciting time of the year filled with festivities, food, and decorations and traveling.  So no matter if you celebrate Chanukah, Christmas or Quanza new have to remember the safety of our pets during this holiday season. The following are some safety tips for your respective holidays.

Food

Many people are busily cooking all sorts of goodies in their kitchens and you forget that their furry loved ones are eagerly waiting for foods to fall or waiting their time to get into the garbage or countertop. Make sure you take the time to make sure your pet is safe by placing foods out of reach, picking up foods that fall and making sure the garbage is out of reach from your pets.

Chocolate is toxic to pets. Chocolate is given more frequently during this time as gifts or placed out on counters or tables so make sure your pets cannot get to these delicious treats.

Some people try to include their furry loved ones in the delicious feasts by feeding them same food they are eating. This acute change in their normal diet can cause vomiting, diarrhea or even more serious conditions like pancreatitis. So try to refrain from including your pets in your holiday meals.

Decorations

Electrical lights and cords are strewn about. Make sure they are hidden or out of reach to prevent chewing on these items, which can cause electrical burns or shock.  More candles are being lit also and these can be knocked over by our pets causing fires, use the candles with caution and always blow them out before leaving the house or going to bed.

Ornaments appear to be favorite of dogs especially the shiny glass balls. It is a good idea to keep them higher on the trees so they cannot reach them along with other ornaments. Ribbons and tinsel is a favorite of cats our dogs may partake in these also. This can cause an obstruction in gastrointestinal tract referred to as linear foreign body. Your pet will need surgery to remove this material.

A lot of dogs and cats for that matter love to chew on houseplants. During the holidays poinsettias and mistletoe along with other plants decorate our homes this season. While poinsettias are not as toxic as once thought they along with other plants should be kept out of reach due to the vomiting and diarrhea it can cause in our pets. In large amounts more serious conditions involving the liver and kidneys can happen.

Traveling

If you are traveling with your pet either by automobile or plane you may want to have your pet assessed before travel to make sure he or she is healthy for travel. This is more important for plane travel and may be required by the airline. Make sure you contact either the country embassy (international travel) or airline for specific requirements for pet travel.