My post Monday focused on air travel with pets.

It was OK, I thought, but I found a really good, very comprehensive post on the subject in the travel section of the NY Times.

Not that mine was out of date and not good, but this one has lot's of interesting information on specific airlines and one horror story about last minute scrambling on the part of a retired Veterinarian.

Continue Reading "Great Article on Air Travel with Pets" »

The holidays are full of surprises. There is none more stressful than the impromptu vacation, especially when you have a pet in the family. Before frantically calling every kennel in town, check with the hotel (if you’re staying in one) to see if they allow pets and what the pet policy is. If taking a four-legged companion isn’t an option, there are certain considerations to make before boarding your pet.

Continue Reading "Boarding Bylines" »

Whether you are going over the river or through the woods, there are certain precautions to take if you are traveling with a four-legged Santa’s little helper. Travel can be very stressful on your pet (and you), but planning ahead and making the appropriate arrangements for the trip can make everyone merry and bright.

Before any plans are made for your pet, make sure it is healthy enough to travel in the first place. If the pet is very old or very young and not yet trained, or if it has been sick or to the veterinarian several times recently, it is best to leave your pet in familiar surroundings rather than moving them to unfamiliar turf.

Continue Reading "Go Merrily All the Way" »

Whether you are going over the river or through the woods, there are certain precautions to take if you are traveling with a four-legged Santa’s little helper. Travel can be very stressful on your pet (and you), but planning ahead and making the appropriate arrangements for the trip can make everyone merry and bright.

Before any plans are made for your pet, make sure it is healthy enough to travel in the first place. If the pet is very old or very young and not yet trained, or if it has been sick or to the veterinarian several times recently, it is best to leave your pet in familiar surroundings rather than moving them to unfamiliar turf.

Continue Reading "Go Merry All the Way" »

I came across a really interesting tidbit on the CNN website. Apparently some airlines are banning certain breeds of dogs and cats or imposing significant restrictions on their travel. The breeds in question are the brachycephalic breeds and include not only the Pug, but breeds like Boston Terriers and English Bulldogs. Himalayan and Persian cats are subject to the ban in some cases too.

Brachycephalic means short faced in Veterinary lingo, and the reason these dogs don't get mega miles as frequent flyers is due to this anatomic abnormality.

Continue Reading "Life Gets Harder for Pugs" »

Most of us travel. Whether we do it for work or pleasure there are times when we just can't take our pets with us. Chris and I are planning a trip to Montana later this summer and there's no way Miles is going with us. We'll miss him, of course, but we'll have to leave him behind. For lot's of us that's tough to do. It's like leaving little kids in the care of someone else.

There are lots of kennels and cat boarding places out there and we never know what happens once we drive out of the parking lot. That can make for a less than satisfying vacation or business trip.
 
So how can you put your mind at ease? How can you be assured that your dog or cat will be treated well and will stay healthy and safe while you are gone?

Continue Reading "Selecting the Right Boarding Kennel for Your Special Dog or Cat" »

Last week I told you about the first few days of my Veterinary Mission trip to Honduras. After two days of vaccinating and deworming more than 1,000 animals ranging from cattle, horses, goats, pigs, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, geese to a rabbit and a parrot in the villages of Potrerillos and Agua Dulcita, the group of 32 veterinarians, veterinary technicians and students were off to the next village.

Continue Reading "Making a Difference in the Mountains of Honduras, part 2" »

Recently I joined a group of 32 veterinarians, veterinary technicians, students and other eager participants for a veterinary mission trip to Honduras sponsored by St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of Seguin and the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. Our destination was Siguatepeque, an agricultural center of about 75,000 people at 3,000 feet elevation in the central mountains of Honduras. While this is my first time, many of the group have been going annually for 25 years. Even though I have over 30 years experience as a veterinarian. this was a new adventure in a rural third world environment.

Continue Reading "Making a Difference in the Mountains of Honduras" »

For many, Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer. In what used to be reserved for the two-legged, boats have become a place for the whole family – two and four-legged. In conjunction with Sea Ray® Boats, PurinaCare‘s parent company, Nestle Purina PetCare, launched a Pet and Water Safety (PAWS) Program.

Continue Reading "Safety for the Four-Legged First Mate" »

Chole and I were discussing the weeks editorial content for the blog on Monday and we decided summer travel was a timely topic. I wrote a post on airline travel and have one today about more general travel information. We are already planning out annual pilgrimage to our old Montana stomping grounds for later this summer and we'll be taking Miles with us again.

Continue Reading "Travel Planning with Pets in Mind" »