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Not that mine was out of date and not good, but this one has lot's of interesting information on specific airlines and one horror story about last minute scrambling on the part of a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

As summer approaches many of us will be going on vacation and some of us will be flying.

Personally I'd rather walk than fly, these days. Years of business travel have made airports and planes dreaded locations for me. Gone are the days of first class travel, unless you have your own jet.

For pet owners there are several options. On many airlines small pets can fly in the cabin with their owners. If you have a small dog or a cat that will fit in a carrier small enough to fit under the seat in front of you, you are in luck. Southwest will even sell you one.
 
You can even take two pets of the same species in one carrier if they are small enough. Your critter will have to be able to get up and turn around to qualify and you have to make reservations in advance.

Continue Reading "Tips on Flying with Your Pet " »

I was doing some research for a couple of summer health tip posts and I came across something about dog parks that I hadn't thought about before. Dog parks can be hazardous to you dog's health unless you take the right precautions.

We love the dog park. It's a great place to socialize your dog and meet people that share your love of critters.
 
For single dudes with dogs it's a great place to show how sensitive you are and meet a nice woman. We take Miles at least once a week and he can tell when we are getting close. He loves the place.
 
What I didn't know was that many of my Veterinary colleagues are anti dog park. They have their reasons, many of which are quite logical. Your dog can pick up a dangerous virus like Parvo or Distemper and parasite eggs love the warm moist soil conditions found at many dog parks that try to keep the grass in place. Fleas and mange mites can transfer too, in the tussle for a tennis ball or frisbee.

Continue Reading "Dog Parks can be Dangerous Places" »

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" »

I know, I know - I missed last week. I was way to busy recovering from a cold I caught while traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday. That, and, trying to get my life back in order after traveling across the great state of Texas with two tiny terrors in tow.

At the beginning of the trip everything was going great. I laid down the seats so Maizie and Marleigh had the whole back of my Jeep to themselves. Surprisingly, this worked. In the total 10 hours we spent in the car together, I only had to yell once “Don’t make me come back there!”

Continue Reading "When the Road Goes on Forever..." »

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 have talked about the many road trips Maizie, Marleigh and I have been on. My road warriors love a good car ride, whether it is to the store or deep South Texas. There is something about the open road that just get’s the girls’ tails waging.

Continue Reading "Maizie and Marleigh Have Gone Country" »

When I was a kid my parents would throw all the camping gear in the back of the station wagon and off we'd go for two weeks in the woods. It was really fun and the funny thing is that we did exactly the same thing with our kids. Now that we are empty nesters we take the dog instead of the kids.

And we're not alone. According to my friends that own the local KOA campground more than half their guests have pets along for the fun. That trend has not escaped the national hotel chains either and they are jumping on the "pet freindly" bandwagon.

Continue Reading "Vacationing with Your Pet" »

One of our PurinaCare policy holders, Beth Herman, wrote a great blog for the Farmer's Almanac on traveling with dogs in the summer. I thought it was so great, I wanted to share it with you.

In her post below, Beth discusses the tricks and tools of the trade for traveling the open road with your canine co-piolot.

Continue Reading "On the Road with Rover" »