Pet Auto Safety

Spring is here and it’s time to go to the lake or the beach again. And if you are like me, you are probably going to want to take your dog. The lake or the beach is a fun place to visit, but it can also be dangerous. The American Dog Blog has some great safety tips for every member of your family. Read the bulleted points below, then visit the American Dog Blog for more details.

* Wear Life Jackets

* Beware of Water Anomalies - such as sneaker waves, rip currents, and underwater debris.

* Beware of Other Animals - both animals on the water’s edge and in the water.

* Wear Sunscreen

* Keep an Emergency Kit Handy

* Keep Fresh Water Available

* Beware of Heat Exhaustion

* Watch for Fatigue

* Protect Your Dog’s Feet from Glass, Hot Sand, Sharp Rocks

* Rinse Off Ocean Salt Water

Have you ever considered rain gear for your dog? I smile every time I see a dog wearing clothes and sometimes think it is silly. But having your dog wear a rain coat has a great benefit. You can take your dog for a walk in the rain and don’t have to worry too much about that “wet-dog” smell when you get home. Sure, the dog will get a little wet, but not as wet. You can minimize how wet your dog gets even more by having them wear dog rain boots. But personally, I think that is a bit too much. It is easier to get your dog used to wearing a rain coat than it is to get them used to wearing rain boots. Most dogs just don’t like things on their feet.

For great rain gear for your dog, I find that the best place to shop is at Amazon.com. It is safe, secure, and easy.

A visitor to our site recently asked us, “Do you have any suggestions on how to get dog hair out of a pet car hammock without having to wash it?” That was a difficult question and I am sorry to say that unless you have a super powered vacuum cleaner, there is no perfect answer. If you have a lot of time on your hands, you can use a lint roller brush and a pair of tweezers. But most of us don’t have that kind of time - or patience. So here are a few quick tips which may not get rid of all the hair but will certainly help.

Bounce fabric softener claims to repel pet hair. Try putting a few Bounce sheets in your dryer along with your dog car seat cover or pet car hammock. Do this before you put the dog car seat cover or pet car hammock in the car and do it again in a few weeks or months, depending on how often your dog rides in the car.

Try spraying the dog car seat cover or pet car hammock with a static guard spray. This type of spray not only reduces static, but it also helps to repel pet hair. Obviously, with your dog sitting on the car seat cover or pet car hammock, hairs are still going to get forced into the fabric. But perhaps not as much.

Try using a material lint brush rather than the tape ones. I have a red glove-like lint brush which resembles an ovenmit without the thumb-piece. I believe I got it at PetsMart or possibly even Walmart. It is very easy to use and you can do a few swipes with it every time your dogs get out of the car. Again, it won’t remove all the hair, but it will help keep it at a minimum.

The visitor to our site told us that she has heard of using rubber gloves. I have never tried that but from what I have read elsewhere, it sounds like it might work. The next time I need to clean my dog car seat cover, I will give that a try.

If you have any suggestions, please share!

Make sure the airline as comprehensive information and guidelines for traveling pets. They should have a phone number specifically dedicated to owners with flying pets. Continental, for example, has a dedicated phone line for pet travelers.

Get an appropriately sized, airline approved dog carrier. Dog carrier specifications include proper ventilation; no wire kennels; a dog carrier large enough for the dog to sit, stand, turn around and lie down comfortably; no wheels on the dog carrier; two empty food dishes in the dog carrier; absorbent material on bottom of the dog carrier, such as a blanket; properly closing dog carrier (no locks).

Consider weather conditions - You need a backup for in case the airline determines that weather conditions are too extreme for pet travel.

Your dog’s veterinarian will need to issue a Health Certificate within ten days of departure.

Flying can be very stressful to your pet. You have probably considered tranquilizers for your pet, but I have found that veterinarians do not recommend this except in extreme circumstances. A tranquilized pet can not pant in hot weather (panting helps cool them down) or shiver in cold weather (shivering helps warm the body). If you think your dog will be too stressed for flying, try to find an alternative.

Although there are very strict regulations about animals flying, bad things can still happen. I heard a story on the Bonnie Hunt Show, where the dog in the kennel was left exposed to the pouring rain as the luggage was being put in. As a result, the dog was wet, the blanket was wet, everything was wet for the entire plane ride as the dog rode in cold terror in the baggage compartment of the plane. Thankfully, the dog was okay, but very very stressed.

While we love to spoil our dogs while we are spoiling ourselves this Thanksgiving Holiday, let’s be a little careful about the kind of food we give our dogs. Some Thanksgiving food can be high in fat. And while a little bit may be okay, it could still upset your dog’s tummy. Dogs who are used to eating dog food with no salt, seasonings, preservatives, or other additives, might have very upset stomachs from eating our Thanksgiving food. An upset stomach can be painful for a dog. And it could cause unpleasant diarrhea or vomiting.

Some fatty foods include the skin from the turkey, gravy, candy and other sweets, or anything buttered. Foods which can be harmful for your dog include raisins or grapes, macadamia nuts, onions, potatoes, and dark chocolate. Be sure to ask your veterinarian for a list of more foods which are not good for your dog. Some of these foods could even be deadly.

Another important thing to remember is to not give your dog turkey bones - not even the big and thick drumstick. The bones of the turkey splinter easily and can get caught in your dog’s throat or puncture their intestines. The damage of a turkey bone could cause a lot of pain for your dog, and possibly even death. And it could cost you a lot of money and heartbreak.

Be safe this Thanksgiving Holiday. Give your dog lots of dog treats if you wish to spoil them over the holidays. If you think about it, most dogs don’t even take the time to taste their food, so they probably won’t even know the difference!

When you travel, you have an emergency first aid kit for yourself, but what about one for your dog?

First and foremost, when traveling with your dog this summer, be sure your dog has access to plenty of water. Also be sure to keep the phone number of your dog’s veterinarian and a 24 hour number to a pet emergency hospital.

The other contents of an emergency dog first aid kit are similar to that of an emergency first aid kit for people. Your emergency dog first aid kit will need bandages, gauze, adhesive tape, antibiotic ointment, and tweezers. The emergency dog first aid kit will also need, sterile saline for the eyes (contact lens solution), latex gloves, and a blanket (especially when travelling in cold weather).

An additional item your emergency dog first aid kit will need, which is not needed in an emergency first aid kit for people, is a nylon leash. Oftentimes when a dog is injured, they will not want you to touch them. In order to help them, you may need the nylon leash to wrap around your dog’s muzzle and to restrain the dog while you tend to them.

Never give your dog Tylenol, aspirin, Advil, or any other medication without first checking with your veterinarian. Before you go traveling with your dog, you may want to ask your veterinarian what sort of emergency medications you can keep in your emergency dog first aid kit. When traveling with your dog, it is always best to be prepared.

Audrey Frederick has the benefit of experience and wisdom when it comes to taking care of pets. She has written a wonderful article which can help you help your dog overcome separation anxiety. Please read this wonderful article below.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs!
By: Audrey Frederick

Also check out her cat and dog website at http://www.cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com.

Animal Haven is the largest no-kill animal shelter in the greater Kansas City area. Their euthenasia rate was only 8% in 2008 because this shelter does everything they can to reunite lost pets with their owners and to find a happy home for homeless pets - even for homeless pets with health or temperament issues.

I recently made my first visit to the shelter and really liked what I saw. The entire facility was clean. There are volunteers everywhere taking shelter dogs for a walk or socializing with the cats. Animal Haven has large outdoor pens for the dogs to get more play room during the day. (The outdoor pens are only used during the day and during fair weather conditions. The dogs are housed in comfortable indoor pens at all other times.) The area for the cats was also clean and comfortable. During the day, some were let out to wander and play in the cat play area.

Animal Haven has a wonderful veterinary team. They will treat most sick and injured animals rather than euthenize them. Animal Haven has professional dog trainers train the dogs in order to help curb some bad habits or to do basic training. The dog training really makes the dogs more adoptable.

Animal Haven has many volunteer opportunities and has lots of other pet-related services to offer. Check out their website at http://www.animalhavenkc.org.

We love the new Cruising Companion™ Houndstooth Dog Car Seat Covers. Not only are they durable, but they are also fashionable. The Cruising Companion™ Houndstooth Dog Car Seat Covers come in houndstooth patterns of black & white, brown & white, or pink & white. It has two seat belt slots for use with the matching Cruising Companion™ Houndstooth Dog Car Harnesses or any of our other dog car harnesses. The Cruising Companion™ Houndstooth Dog Car Seat Covers are also machine washable should you take you dog to the dog park where the ground happened to be muddy. My dogs go to the dog park all the time and it is often wet and muddy. But the upholstery of my car stays nice and clean.

Poor Maya burned her paw the other day. When we went to the dog park, Maya was so excited that she burst out of the car as soon as I took off her dog car seat belt, but before I was able to put on her leash. I have learned to put on the leash before taking off her seat belt, but only after Maya burned her paw while running around on the hot asphalt pavement of the parking lot. One of her feet blistered and some padding came off. I took her to the vet, but the only recommendation they had was to give her some pain medicine and not let her walk around too much. She limped for three days.

Before you take your dog out this season, be aware that the black asphalt pavement is very hot and can burn your dog’s feet. Try to avoid the black asphalt pavements or try to park in a shaded area. Maya’s injuries were very minor and limted to only one of her paws, but could have been much worse.

Whose Maya?  Check out her profile on the Pet Pals page of Pet Auto Safety.com.