If you are planning on taking a vacation yet you don’t want to leave Fido or Fluffy behind, rest assure, many people take their beloved fuzzy friends on vacation. You can take your pet almost anywhere- many hotels and resorts now allow pets (mostly within a certain limit of pounds),  and even airlines will help accommodate your pet during a flight. Just remember to do your research to find out the rules and to make sure that your pet will be welcomed.

Make sure your pet has all necessary shots and was neutered or spayed. It would be a wise idea to get a routine checkup for your pet, plus find out if there are any dangers (including fleas and heartworm) that lurk in your destination.  Don’t forget to stock up on your pet medications (if necessary) and to ask your vet for advice. Also, stock up on essentials like a crate or carrier, your pet’s bedding and textiles, food, water, and other essentials (like a litter pan or a waste removal scoop). And bring your vet’s number just in case.

If you’re traveling in your car, make sure that you never leave your pet in the car (particularly for a long time), as heat or cold exposures could pose a danger. Depending on how long travel is, make sure that you have extra food and water. If you’re bringing a dog, don’t forget a leash. If you’re traveling by airplane, make sure your pet has a health certificate, check the rules and regulations, and expect to pay a boarding fee.

When searching for the right hotel or other source of lodging, it’s important to make sure that they accept pets and ask how much the pet fee will be. Don’t forget to find out if and where you can walk your dog. No matter where you walk your dog, it is crucial to bring a waste scooper and disposal bag- never leave your dog’s waste on hotel or city park grounds.

The summer heat is here.  What can you do to keep your dog cool in this weather?  For some suggestions, I spoke with Mary Remer, a certified personal dog trainer, who has 30 years of experience in this field.

If you have the space for a baby pool, that is an excellent option for keeping your dog cool.  Dogs can be trained to enter the pool.  If a dog likes toys, you should begin by placing a toy in the empty pool.  Repeat the procedure, adding water incrementally, until  the dog comfortably goes into a water-filled pool.

Just like you, a dog will prefer a cool environment.  If you house has air conditioning, it should be kept at a reasonably cool temperature, even when you aren’t home, for the benefit of your pet.  Fans also will improve a dog’s comfort level.  However, if you won’t be home, you need to make sure that your dog is safe with the fan running.

However, caring for your dog during the heat of summer goes beyond keeping her healthy and cool.  As Mary noted, “It’s just about keeping dogs engaged in life, keeping them happy in their lives.”  Even though the temperatures are high and your dog needs to stay cool, he still needs stimulation.

Mary had excellent suggestions for keeping your dog engaged.  Try the following activities:

• Use the treadmill.  Train your dog to use the treadmill for a cool, indoor walk.
• Do canine calisthenics.  Have your dog jump onto an object and off.  Train your dog to bow.
• Teach signed games to your dog.  Hide her favorite toy or snack, and have her seek it.

Remember, the heat and humidity affect our beloved animal friends just like us.  Take the time to make sure your dog is comfortable and engaged.  Read Part I of this series to learn how to keep your dog healthy during the summer.

To learn more about Mary Remer, visit her website, What a Good Dog!

When the heat of summer arrives, warnings about staying healthy are abundant.  Don’t exercise during the heat of the day. Drink plenty of water.  Dress in lighter colored clothing. However, we also need to attend to the health of our pets.

While all animals are affected by the heat of summer, this article focuses on dogs.  Often people forget that heat affects our canine companions and don’t take the necessary precautions to keep them healthy.  I spoke with Dr. Keith Niesenbaum of Crawford Dog and Cat Hospital and Dr. Andrew Kaplan of City Veterinary Care for advice on caring for our dogs.

During hot weather, people frequently are reminded to stay hydrated.  The same is true for all animals.  According to Dr. Kaplan, dogs need 30cc of water for each pound they weigh. (As an example, an 8 pound dog would need 1 cup of water each day.)  However, he stated, “Dogs don’t drink evenly.  You should leave a full bowl, so they can drink as much as needed.”  He also noted that if a dog has a disease (diagnosed or not), he may need more water.

Not only do you need to leave water for your dog, but you need to consider how you will leave that water.  Dr. Niesenbaum pointed out, “If the dog is small and the bowl can’t be tipped, then a single bowl is fine.  If the dog is large or the bowl is prone to being dumped, then multiple bowls are preferable.”

Other general tips the veterinarians had to share might seem like common sense but should be noted.  “If it is too hot for you, it is too hot for your dog,” said Dr. Niesenbaum.  So, don’t take your dog for a run or start a game of fetch when the temperatures are soaring.  Also, leaving a dog in a penned yard is fine as long as there is a shaded area and the dog has access to water.  Dogs shouldn’t be left in cars, as the interior temperature rises quickly.

Some dogs have more difficulty with heat than others.  Dogs with “pushed-in faces”, such as bulldogs or pugs, are categorized as brachycephalic.  What this means is that because of their pushed-in noses, they have one third of the space in their throat and their airflow is diminished.  Dr. Kaplan stated that you should pay more attention to these dogs on hot days because “with their throats being narrow, it is harder for them to breathe.  The more humid the day, the tissue gets more swollen, and their breathe gets worse.”  He also noted that older dogs may develop laryngeal paralysis, which again makes breathing difficult and is worse with heat and humidity.

Remember, if you are feeling hot, so is your dog.  And while you can get yourself an ice cold cup of water and turn on the AC, your dog needs you to insure that he is kept comfortable.  In tomorrow’s article, you will learn some ways to keep your dog cool and entertained during hot weather.

Maybe you’re not financially prepared to adopt a pet. But if that’s the only thing holding you back – if you have a love of animals, a sense of responsibility, enough room in your home, and enough time and energy — maybe you’re ready to foster a pet.

As Kim Croom, Director of the Pet Foster Network, said in an interview with RedPlum: “[Fostering] doesn’t cost the foster home anything at all. Most people just don’t know that.”

Fostering is giving a pet a temporary home as an alternative to an animal shelter. This can last anywhere from a few days to the rest of the animal’s life. Many humane societies and animal rescue organizations run foster programs, and they’re often looking for volunteer families. The organization (or, in some cases, the original owner) keeps ownership of the animal and pays major expenses like vet bills and prescriptions. Some will buy the food and litter, or provide it from in-kind donations they get. Our fostering organization even sent a volunteer to our house to feed the cat while we were away.

Meanwhile, you as a foster “parent” get all the happiness of having a pet. Of course, you have responsibilities, too, on top of its daily care. You’re usually the one who has to get the animal to the vet. You also may have to show it to potential new owners, transport it to adoption events, take phone calls, and do paperwork. And it can be hard saying goodbye. But if you decide you want, and can afford, to adopt your foster pet, you’re usually given preference. The organization may even waive your adoption fee.

Fostering pets means giving your time and love, not your money.

In my science class, we have two turtles, well loved turtles. One is a land turtle of an unknown species (it was adopted) named Schleiden, and the other is a water-going, painted turtle named Myrtle.  Myrtle was nicknamed Myrtle da Turtle by my friend.  So, after a science class, I feel like writing about turtles as pets.

Turtles are a type of reptile belonging to the order Testudines.  They are ectotherms (in layman’s terms, coldblooded), breathe oxygen, lay eggs, but do not lay their eggs in water.  They live in water or on land, but the largest species are aquatic. Turtles have two separate shells, one on top and one on the bottom.  The upper shell of the turtle is called the carapace. The lower shell that encases the belly is called the plastron.  Most turtles shells are hard, but some species have leathery shells instead.  They also have four legs, one head, and one tail.  Some sea turtles may live to be eighty years old.

Turtles are common pets, whether as land or sea turtles.  Schleiden lives in a twenty gallon tank that has a hut and a water bowl in it.  Myrtle has a ten gallon tank full of water that contains a rock pile.   Schleiden’s primary food source is earthworms.  Myrtle eats food pellets, but once, we conducted an experiment with gold fish and two of the surviving five were eaten by Myrtle.  Also, many turtles will eat vegetation, such as leafy greens.

Tortoises are from the same order as turtles but are land only creatures.  Some species grow up to two meters in length and several hundred pounds.  The oldest tortoise on record was one hundred eighty-eight years old.  Most are herbivores, although as babies, they may consume meat.

Terrapins are a species of turtle that live in brackish or murky water (most turtles don’t).

So, if you are a reptile lover looking for a different reptile or just someone wanting a pet, turtles need love, too.

What exactly is this stuff that makes (some) cats lose control, enjoying every second of it? There are several answers.

Catnip is:

• An herb related to mint. One of its other names is catmint. Like most herbs, it can be grown in your garden fairly easily. Keeping it growing there can be harder, once the local cats discover it. Some of them, that is.

• Not a high for all cats. Estimates vary,  but anywhere from 10% to 30% of cats don’t react to catnip at all. One of our cats, for example, will sniff at it a little, then lose interest. The other seems almost afraid of the stuff. If I didn’t know better, I’d think the first cat was just being polite and the second had a friend back at the shelter who’d had a bad trip.

• Less important to cats than other things. Staying dry, for example. I found this out one time I was wandering the neighborhood in the pouring rain, looking for a missing cat, with a bag of catnip in my hand. On a block where nearly every household has an outdoor cat, I didn’t attract a single one.

• A source of the compound nepetalactone. This is what produces the “catnip effect”; we humans still don’t know how or why. But researchers have isolated nepetalactone and found another use for it . . .

• A possible base for natural insect repellant. Though cats vary in their reactions to nepetalactone, whole species of insects seem to hate it. The USDA reports experiments where nepetalactone has killed termites and driven away ladybugs and some kinds of cockroaches, flies, termites and mosquitoes.

So, there’s a lot more to catnip than stuffing for cat toys. It’s complex, unpredictable, and more than a little mysterious.

It can cost a lot of money to care for a pet. They are sometimes smelly, often messy, and usually noisy. They demand our attention at the most inopportune times. So, why in the world would anyone want a pet?

Pets, all types of pets, make good companions. In a world that is increasingly isolated and impersonal, a pet can bring joy into your home when there is no one else around. The less contact a person has with the world outside his door, the more he needs a pet.

The benefits that a pet brings to an elderly person have been the subject of numerous studies (which you can bet were all funded by your hard earned tax dollars, but that’s another story). As people get older they begin to withdraw more and more from society, as hopping into the car and running into town for some groceries becomes harder and harder. Old friends pass away; kids and grandkids move away.

Introducing a pet into the home of an elderly person brings almost immediate returns. Companionship is a two-way street. The pet owner gets a warm body to spend time with, but he also gets the responsibility that comes with it. The good news is that both sides of that street are to the benefit of a senior citizen.

The pet owner finds renewed purpose in caring for her new dependent. Suddenly, there is a reason to get dressed and go into town: Fluffy needs a new chew toy or she doesn’t seem to like this brand of cat food. Pets are positively good for the aging brain. Give Grandma a cat, and she will spend hours analyzing the pet’s behavior. Instead of rehashing the same old story from life on the farm in 1948, she will tell you new tales of Kitty’s incredible intelligence and personality.

My own research (unofficial and not at all funded by government money) shows a direct correlation between pet ownership and happiness in the lives of septuagenarians. Beyond the companionship, the sense of purpose and usefulness – of being needed – is a great boon for those entering the twilight of their lives.

What happens to a pet whose owner gets sent to war or is deployed overseas? One thing’s for sure, the animal is not going to be welcomed onto a military transport or allowed to run around in a combat zone, and that’s probably just as well.

If a servicemember doesn’t have family or friends willing to take care of the pet for a year or so, re-homing is often the only option. This ensures a good future for the pet, but when the owner comes home (we hope), a part of his or her earlier life will be missing.

The Hawaiian Humane Society has stepped in to take care of this problem, the Army News Service says. It’s started the Pets of Patriots Program, open to active duty servicemembers who need temporary care for their pets. Volunteers, both servicemembers and civilians, take the animals into their homes. The owner goes on paying for the pet’s support, and the foster family may keep in touch and send photos.

So far, this is the only program of its kind. It’d be good to see it spread to other states, maybe even other countries. (Yes, Canada has soldiers in Afghanistan, too.)

Pets go into foster homes for lots of different reasons – we’ve fostered a few belonging to people who were in treatment for addictions. (Those cats were a handful, but I was glad to think we just might have removed someone’s last excuse not to go into treatment.) If humane societies can help recovering addicts in this way, they can help servicemembers, too. This isn’t about supporting or not supporting war. It’s about helping an animal and its owner, and making a contribution to the peaceful society we all want to see.

Cats and dogs make terrific pets, but if you’re looking for a pet that takes a little less time and energy to take care of, then a rabbit just might be the pet for you. Other positive features of owning a pet rabbit include: they are generally daylight creatures and won’t keep you up at night; they don’t require a lot of vet care; since they are often kept inside a cage it also means you don’t need to get them vaccinated.

If you are thinking of buying a rabbit, read this first.

Once you decide that you want a pet rabbit, do your research on how to purchase one wisely and how to take care of them. It also would be a good idea to identify the breeds, as different breeds exhibit different sizes and personalities. Some rabbits fully grow to about nine pounds (such as Giant Angora  or Giant Chinchilla) while others are rather tiny at two to four pounds (such as Britannia Petite or Lionhead). If you don’t have a lot of space for a large cage, then smaller is the way to go.

Before you buy your rabbit (hopefully you know by now which one you want), you should buy the supplies, food, and toys.  You’ll need a cage, litter box, and a food/water tray. It is important to know that you must clean these supplies on a regular basis so your rabbit remains in optimal health. Like everything else, finding good food for your pet rabbit is easy- all rabbits are vegetarians. You need to feed them pellet food, but you can feed them low carbohydrate vegetables, fruits, grains, and even hay.

It’s probably best to buy a young adult rabbit- since baby rabbits tend to be much more fragile. Look for a new pet rabbit that is at least four months old. Don’t forget to take him or her to the vet for a general health checkup and a spay/neuter operation (if they’re old enough).

Rabbits make great pets.

For a long time, all “our” cats were strictly indoor. They were actually foster cats, and our main job was to keep them safe here in urban coyote country. When we took the plunge and adopted, we wanted to find a way to let a cat enjoy the outdoors without losing him. I bought a harness and leash. Yes, I know, when someone wants to make something sound difficult, they say it’s like herding cats, but it’s worked out pretty well for us.

With the younger cat, anyway. The older one panics at the sight of the harness, maybe believing she’ s about to be taken to the vet or back to “the wild” where she came from. We haven’t pushed it with her.

The younger cat got used to the harness with the help of a lot of treats. Once he associated it with going outside, he didn’t mind at all. He really does like the chance to sniff around the yard, chase away the cat from next door, and eat grass. (Even carnivores need fiber.)

Our leash is about 15 feet – long enough so that the human isn’t hovering over the cat, not long enough to let him out of your sight. I still worry about him wrapping it around something, straining at it to try to chase a bird, or getting into a fight with another cat, but none of that has happened. Yet.

Instead, the cat, like a toddler, just uses the leash to lead me around the yard while he sets the course. The other night he didn’t even want to move around, just lie on the porch keeping an eye on the neighbors’ cat, who was sleeping on our picnic table. You never know.

There’s a good article here about introducing your cat to the harness.