Issue Date: May 10, 2009
A summer safety guide for pets
Keep your cool while on the go with your pets this summer. Try these expert tips.
By Steve Dale
On the road
Sometimes what holds back a road trip with the dog is our furry friend's motion sickness. A fairly new drug, Cerenia, can alleviate it better than earlier ones that either didn't work well or put dogs to sleep. When motion sickness isn't so profound, doggie ginger cookies also may ease queasiness. And for pooches that just get stressed out by car rides, a Dog Appeasing Pheromone collar (like aromatherapy for dogs) or lavender hanging from the rearview mirror can help.
Other tips to keep in mind:
Dogs and cats should never travel on laps. Cats should be in carriers, and that's also a good idea for dogs accustomed to them. Small and mid-size dogs also can be strapped into a canine safety seat, available at pet supply stores.
Never let a dog ride in the back of a pickup truck, which -- wisely -- is banned in some places.
For an extra fee, many airlines will allow you to take pets on board a plane if they're small enough to fit in a carrier that will slide under the seat in front of you.
No matter where you travel or how you get there, your pet should have an ID tag and an identification microchip, and you should bring proof of your pet's current rabies vaccination.
Bunking together
Although there are more pet-friendly hotels, motels, B&Bs and campgrounds than ever, there's no guarantee you'll find one by chance. Some places require a pet security deposit, which is returned if the chairs aren't chewed up or the carpet piddled on. And some charge an extra non-refundable fee for Fluffy. Others offer pet perks, from dog walking to pet room service menus.
Be specific when you ask questions. Perhaps you have two dogs. Does the hotel allow more than one pet per room? Is there a fee for additional pets? Maybe the hotel only welcomes small dogs. Exactly how big is a small dog? Find out.
Pet-friendly accommodations are listed and, in some cases, commented on at websites such as PetTravel.com, petswelcome.com, Doginmysuitcase.com, 1clickpethotels.com and Travel
Pets.com. But don't just depend on the website, because policies change. Get a written confirmation with all the details.
When you arrive, plan fun dog-friendly activities, such as a romp in a nearby park. After all, if your dog is just going to stay in the room all day, every day, what's the point of bringing her along?
AT the vet's
Here's another reason to hate summer's mosquitoes: They carry heartworm to your pets. Dogs who get infected with heartworm usually get sick, and, without treatment, they can die. Treatment success isn't guaranteed, and it's not cheap.
"Yet heartworm is entirely preventable," says veterinarian Sheldon Rubin, president of the American Heartworm Society. According to an October 2008 survey, 35% of owners who take their dogs for annual vet checkups fail to give their pets heartworm preventives. "Sometimes people mean well and simply forget to give the [monthly] preventive," Rubin says. "One solution may be your veterinarian using the injectable preventive, which works for six months."
If there's heartworm in dogs where you live, it's a good bet that the disease also is occurring -- sometimes undetected -- in cats. Symptoms of feline heartworm can include coughing and shortness of breath. Heartworm in cats can't be treated, but it can be prevented. Learn more at heartwormsociety.org.
In the heat
Say you have to run an errand, and your dog is in the car with you. You just want to run into the store for 15 minutes, and it's only 78 degrees. "In a matter of minutes, your car transforms into an oven, reaching 160 degrees when parked in the sun," says veterinarian Gregg K. Takashima, president-elect of the American Animal Hospital Association.
Fido can't easily beat the heat. "Dogs don't sweat efficiently, so they can potentially overheat more easily than people," Takashima says. Some dogs, just being dogs, will fetch until they drop. Look for signs of overheating, such as vomiting and excessive panting. If you think your pup is overheated, take him out of the sun, cool his paw pads with water and head to the vet.
Without fleas
Fleas and ticks are more pervasive than ever. Veterinary parasitologist Michael Dryden of Kansas State University blames a warming trend that lets them survive longer in places where they normally would not. And as the suburbs increasingly intersect with wildlife, our backyards have become drop-off places for these pests.
Fleas can hitch a ride on your shoes or on your pet. Laying up to 40 to 50 eggs daily, they can quickly invade your home and make your pet very uncomfortable.
Thankfully, today's veterinary flea pills and products applied to the pet's skin really zap fleas, so the days of fitting flea collars and using toxic dips are over. If ticks occur where you live, your vet can suggest a product to deal with both fleas and ticks.
Go to top
Pet safety tips
Let Fido enjoy the ride, but keep the windows up or just cracked to avoid debris flying into his eyes.
Some communities not only have dog parks, but also dog beaches where canines can socialize.
Get specifics about hotel pet policies and fees, which can vary widely.
If you see a cat stuck in a tree, entice her with a can of tuna. Walk away, and wait for hunger to overcome fear.
Don't cut costs by giving monthly heartworm meds less often.
Plenty of shade and water can keep dogs cool on hot days.
Contributing Editor Steve Dale is heard weekly on WGN Radio, and he writes a syndicated column, "My Pet World."
Cover photo: Gen Nishino, Getty Images
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