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Top 5 Pet Issues When Traveling

admin — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:46:42 +0000

by Boyd Harrell, DVM

For many of us summer is a travel season, a time when the entire family finally has some precious time together for recreation. And of course if you are a pet owner and lover like me, your pet is likely to be traveling with you. So don’t let poor planning for your pet’s travel turn into a disaster story. Here are some pet travel basics to follow and pitfalls to avoid.

Essential pet travel items

• Leash – A lost pet far from home can be a disaster; never allow your pet off leash unless they are within a secure enclosed area.
• ID tag – Be sure it has your pet’s name, your name and a phone where you can be reached. A mobile phone number is best so you can always be in touch.
• Pet health records and health certificate - These are important should your pet need medical attention while away from home or if you are crossing state or national borders.
• Your pet’s own food along with food and water bowls – This will lessen the likelihood of digestive upset and make your pet feel more ‘at home”.
• Blankets or bed – Having a comfortable familiar bed lessens the stress of travel
• Crate/kennel – A pet crate makes travel in the car safer for both you and your pet and is required by some hotels/motels.
• First aid kit – Be sure to include items to protect both pets and their people.

Top 5 Pet Travel Concerns

Anxiety
Travel can be both fun and stressful for your pet. Pets pick up on the excitement of their people and become anxious themselves. Changes in their routine like different feeding times, different bed, long car rides, lots of people activity can all be stressors for your pet.

Proper Hydration
Summer travel can increase your pet’s water needs . Dehydration can occur quickly as a lot of moisture is lost when pets pant from either anxiety or summer heat. Plenty of fresh cool water is essential to maintain proper hydration and organ function and avoid possible heat stroke.

Pet Odor Control
Traveling in the close confines of an automobile exaggerates odors from pets, crates/kennels and blankets. Dogs often find unpleasant things to roll in at parks and rest stops and a soiled crate quickly diminishes the air quality.

Digestive Upset
Changes in your pet’s routine, chewing on found prizes and different food or water can all contribute to digestive upset including loss of appetite, vomiting , diarrhea or constipation.

Emergencies
Medical problems and injuries can be even more difficult to deal with when you are on the road. Be sure to have a pet first aid kit, medical records, your veterinarian’s number and a pet poison control phone number with you at all times. Next be sure every family member knows where these things are at and that they are readily accessible.

Small efforts in organizing and preparation can pay large dividends for both you and your pet during your next travel. Plan ahead for pet friendly locations and if one of your destinations does not allow pets be sure to have scouted out a nearby boarding facility you are comfortable with and make reservations well in advance. Now that you are ready, let’s go have fun!

You can contact Dr Harrell by sending an email to boyd@petprosbusinesscoaching.com or to boydharrell@myoxyfresh.net .

Pets are Good for the Whole family

admin — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:20:51 +0000

The majority of households in the US have at least one pet. So why are pets so popular? It would be impossible to list all of the benefits and reasons for pet popularity however we can look at some of the most common ones.

Pets are just plain fun to have around us! Now that’s a good reason isn’t it? Pets give us a reason to smile, even laugh out loud on a day that might otherwise have us wearing a frown. A good belly laugh is a very effective stress reliever helping to bring down our coritsol levels and decrease hypertension.

Having a pet in the home is good for our health in other ways as well. In addition to helping us to lower our blood pressure, pets have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels. Pets can also help to increase our exercise and outdoor activities. Taking a dog for a walk or on a hike is good low impact aerobic exercise and aerobic exercise is key to maintaining good health and increasing longevity.

When children get involved with the walks the exercise can help reduce anxiety and increase attention span helping them to perform better in school and have fewer conflicts with siblings, other family members and teachers. Walking and hiking is also a great way to help control or reduce obesity for both children and adults. The exercise also helps to regulate our blood sugar, reducing the risk of type II diabetes onset and aiding in the control of existing diabetes.

OK, so physical health is not high on your list of reasons to have a pet. What about emotional and social health? People tell pets their deepest secrets and share things they might be too embarrassed to discuss with any human. They can be a living breathing diary if you will. Pets make no judgment about us when we share these feelings. Simply being able to say what is on our mind can ease the emotional stress and conflict stirring within us, even when we speak it only to a pet. Speaking about dogs, Jerome K. Jerome said “They [dogs] never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation.” (We all want to be heard!) And Christopher Morley said “No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does.”

Pets can teach children responsibility when they get directly involved in the pet’s care. Grooming, feeding and playtime are a few of the daily duties asked of a pet provider. Out of that, good habits can be formed and self esteem elevated. The new caretaker develops a sense of control and purpose, both important in life balance and life purpose.

Pets can be a common source of bonding, often creating fun conversations and activities inconspicuously helping to bring families closer together. They can allow us to forget about the rest of the world for a bit and concentrate solely on having a good time.

Dogs (and some cats) help provide security for the family by giving us visual and auditory alerts when danger or stranger is near. Their barks, yips, growls and yowls can a good deterrent in the face of a threat.

There are many logical reasons for owning a pet. The most important reason may be that we simply love them and enjoy their companionship.

Boyd Harrell, DVM

10 Tips to Keep Your Pet Healthy

admin — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:12:35 +0000

1. Feed a high quality food in an amount to maintain an ideal body weight. Obesity is the most common nutritional disease for pets and predisposes your friend to many other health issues. Feed an amount of food that maintains an ideal weight and don’t simply go by the feeding guide on the pet food label. If your pet seems hungry try adding fresh raw vegetables for filler like green beans or give baby carrots for treats instead of dog biscuits.

2. Provide fresh water at all times. Water is vital and even mild symptom free dehydration leads to reduced organ and brain function. Be sure to rinse out the bowl with warm water and dry with a paper towel before refilling. Remember to add Oxyfresh Oral Hygiene Solution to ensure that you are taking care of your pet’s oral hygiene.

3. Provide plenty of exercise. Just like for people, exercise provides many health and emotional benefits for pets. Adequate exercise is the best prevention for destructive behavior like chewing and escaping.

4. Prevent parasites. Both internal parasites like heart worm and intestinal worms and external parasites like fleas and ticks pose serious health threats. Fleas and ticks may be carriers of other pet diseases like tapeworm, Lyme’s disease, Rocky Mountan Spotted Fever and more. There are many good products on the market that are effective against these parasites.

5. Follow Vaccination guidelines. Many of the common contagious diseases can be prevented.

6. Keep your pet leashed. Do not allow your pet to run free. The risk of injury and becoming lost or stolen is too great.

7. Start a preventive dental program. Dental disease affects 85% of all dogs over 2-3 years of age. An unhealthy mouth stresses the immune system and can take years off the normal life expectancy. Brushing is the gold standard ye just adding Oxyfresh’s Pet Oral Hygiene Solution to your pet’s waterbowl will make a huge difference in your pet’s oral health. Start early before the symptoms begin.

8. Keep your pet well groomed. Good grooming is much more that simply making your pet look good. A well groomed coat and clean skin just plain feels good and each grooming is another opportunity to examine your pet closely for any lumps, bumps or other things that shouldn’t be there. Good quality shampoos can be used regularly and will keep the skin clean and the coat shiny without drying out the skin. Be sure to keep your pet’s coat brushed. Brushing is a great chance to spend quality time with your pet and will help your pet look great.

9. Pet proof your house. Be watchful for things your pet might want to chew or lick on. Many common household items can be toxic to pets and many other items may be swallowed causing digestive upset or even obstruction.

10. Provide plenty of affection. Not much more needs to be said about this one J. Besides, isn’t that why we have pets anyway?

Boyd Harrell, DVM