Author: PetGd

In This Article Before Your Hike View 2 More +

The following may contain Chewy links. PetMD is operated by Chewy. If you plan to travel with a pet this winter, it’s important to be mindful of cold weather safety issues. After all, frigid temperatures aren’t pleasant and can be downright dangerous—for you or your pet. If you’re considering flying or driving somewhere with your dog or cat, here are some winter travel safety tips to help ensure you reach your destination safely (and warmly!). Make Sure Your Pet Is Fit to Travel “Before any type of trip, you want to make sure your pet is healthy and able to take the trip,” says Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM of Chagrin Falls Pet Clinic in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. In some cases, it might be best to leave your furry family member at home with a pet sitter, in a boarding kennel, or at your veterinarian’s office. Pets that might not be suitable to travel include: Young pets Older pets Pregnant animals Ill animals If you’re unsure if your pet is OK for winter travel, consult your veterinarian to get an expert opinion. “Animals that travel should be cleaned, groomed, and follow basic obedience,” adds Dr. Osborne. She also says you should make sure “that they’re courteous, not knocking people over. If you have a pet that barks excessively, that is probably not an ideal animal to bring with you.” Before the Trip Before you load up the car or head to the airport, there are steps you have to take for your fur baby. Contact Your Veterinarian Talk to your veterinarian a few months before your trip and make sure your pet is up to date on all needed vaccinations and preventive care. If you’re traveling to a different part of the country (or world!), your pet may need vaccines or parasite prevention that they haven’t had before. If you’re crossing state borders there is a good chance your pet will need a current health certificate; international travel requires even more documentation. Airlines often require that a veterinarian sign an acclimation statement that outlines safe travel temperatures for pets that are not traveling in the aircraft cabin with their owners. Research Where You Stay Call hotels before you book to ensure they allow pets. Even if cats and dogs are allowed, certain hotels can have weight limits, limitations on the number of animals you can bring, or other restrictions—like not being able to leave your dog unattended in the room. It’s best to call to ahead and find out so you aren’t scrambling to find another place to stay the day-of. Pack for Pet Safety No matter what time of year you’re traveling, make sure your pet has a cat collar or dog collar with up-to-date contact information. If your pet is microchipped, ensure the microchip is registered to you and accurate. Lindsey Wolko, founder for the Center for Pet Safety (CPS), a consumer advocacy organization that advocates on behalf of pet owners, advises bringing a picture of you and your pet in case you get separated. Before you head to your destination, research and have the names and contact information of a few nearby emergency veterinary hospitals. It also might be helpful, if you are driving, to check for emergency veterinarians on your route as well. Ask your veterinarian to print out your pet’s medical records and bring a copy with you in case you need to seek care on your trip. Ensure Your Car Is Pet-Friendly Car travel with pets can be dangerous. Unrestrained pets can quickly become a distraction, and when a pet is unrestrained, they are also at greater risk of serious injury in an accident. Wolko explains that when traveling in a car with a pet, you need to properly secure your pet. If you’re driving and your pet climbs into your lap, that could distract you and potentially cause an accident. Here are her recommendations: Use a cat carrier to safely secure a cat for travel. For longer trips, small dogs should also go into a carrier. Small or large pups can use a dog harness or carrier, depending on what product your pet prefers. Larger dogs can fit into a weighted kennel that’s secured with strength-rated anchor straps. “Acclimate your pets, prior to travel, to those products,” says Wolko. Try taking them on short drives and gradually increasing the distance. You don’t want your pet’s first experience in the harness or carrier to be on a three-hour car trip. These test runs are also helpful because they allow you to make sure the car safety products fit your pet comfortably and securely. So when it comes time for longer trips, you don’t have to worry about your pet escaping. It is always a good idea to have a roadside emergency kit in your car in case of an emergency. Ensure it has flares, cones or a flag—anything that will alert other drivers to your presence, Wolko says. Discuss travel with your veterinarian a few weeks prior to leaving to allow time to try any motion sickness or sedative medications at home. Always test out medications prior to travel. Bring Products That Will Keep Your Pet Warm For cold-weather travel, consider providing your pet with an extra layer of warmth before you leave home. A dog sweater or—if your cat is willing—a cat sweater is a great way to help keep your pet cozy, Wolko says. However, when choosing the right apparel for traveling with a pet, you need to keep travel safety in mind as well. Wolko cautions that knitted fabrics can snag or get caught up in a dog seat belt, canine car seat, or cat carrier, so make sure you choose something that will allow your pet to move around and relax safely and comfortably. Some good pet products for winter travel include: Frisco insulated parka PetFusion quilted blanket Frisco sherpa dog and cat blanket K&H Pet Products microwavable bed warmer Aspen Pet self-warming bed Don’t Forget the Essentials It is also smart to pack extra pet food; you can use a storage container like the Gamma2 Travel-tainer that allows you to securely store your pet’s food and provides bowls. Having extra food and water is especially important in case you get stuck in traffic, run into bad weather, or have car problems. Extra blankets and towels can be useful, too. Wolko says if you’re bringing pet toys, it’s best to secure them so they don’t fly out or around the car in case of an accident. If your pet takes any medication, be sure to bring some extra meds in case you end up staying away longer than planned. During the Trip Now you’re ready to hit the road! Make Lots of Pit Stops While driving, Dr. Osborne says to stop every few hours so you (and your dog!) can take a potty break. When you’re planning your trip, be sure to incorporate those break times into your overall travel time. During those pit stops, check the sidewalks, parking lots and roads for ice-melting products. These can harm your pet’s paws, and they’re also toxic if ingested. You might want to bring along dog booties to keep your pup’s paws safe in winter. If you don’t have booties, use a product like TrueBlue paw and body wipes after each pit stop to wipe your dog’s paws clean of any ice-melting products. “Never leave your pet unattended” at pit stops, says Wolko, as your pet could easily run off or be stolen. Keep the Stops Speedy Be aware of how long you spend out in the cold with your pet. Dogs and cats can both suffer from frostbite and hypothermia, which can occur if your pet is exposed to cold temperatures for too long. When temperatures drop under 32 F, small breed dogs, dogs with thin coats, or very young, old, or sick dogs could be in danger if they spend too much time outdoors. Once temperatures drop under 20 F, all pet parents need to be aware that their dogs could develop cold-associated health problems if they are outside for extended periods of time. At-risk areas for frostbite on cats and dogs include the ears, nose, paws and tip of the tail, says Dr. Osborne. Frostbitten areas of skin initially turn a reddish color and then become gray. To treat frostbite on a dog or frostbite on a cat, give your pet a warm bath (not too hot, around 105 F is good), wrap them up in warm towels, and take them to the nearest veterinary clinic. Don’t rub an area that has frostbite. Signs of hypothermia in dogs include paleness of skin and strong shivering, which can be followed by listlessness to the point of lethargy. If your pet is exhibiting these symptoms, bring her inside immediately and contact your veterinarian. When You Arrive When you reach your destination, provide a comfortable environment for your pet. They will probably want a potty break and a chance to decompress after a long trip—just like we do. Create a safe space for your pet with familiar smells from home. Using your pet’s favorite toys and blankets, set up their own little cozy area. Having a pen or kennel for your pet also allows you to secure them safely if you have to leave them alone. By Teresa K. Traverse Image via iStock.com/SolStock

In This Article Can Dogs Have Honey? View 5 More +

5. Savings of Time and Money Healing a sick dog is still costly and time-consuming, even if it is ultimately successful. If you have a dog with Cushing’s disease, for example, there are the costs and time associated with trips to the veterinarian, adrenal hormone level tests, and often the long-term administration of prescription medications. If a dog needs surgery, chemotherapy or other intensive care, these treatments can easily set you back thousands of dollars. This doesn’t take into consideration the time you’d need to take off from work or other obligations. It also doesn’t calculate the high level of stress and discomfort your pup may experience from frequent trips to the veterinarian and unpleasant procedures. Healthy dogs typically require less veterinary care. “Maintaining a healthy weight will mean fewer trips for medical care other than preventative therapy, and less or no medications to treat obesity-related problems,” says Dr. Bartges. A longer life, increased energy, decreased risk for health issues and better joint health are all benefits that can result from dogs losing weight. Committing to a balanced diet and exercise—with the help of your veterinarian—is an important part of maintaining your dog’s health and is well worth the effort. By: Paula Fitzsimmons Featured Image: iStock.com/Przemyslaw Iciak,Reviewed for accuracy on March 14, 2019, by Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM Veterinarians have been raising concerns about the issue of pet obesity, and with good reason. Overweight dogs are at risk for conditions like heart disease, arthritis, Cushing’s disease, and some types of skin disease and cancer as well as a shorter lifespan and decreased quality of life. Helping your dog lose weight can result in a host of health benefits for her, including a reduced risk of disease along with better joint health and overall vitality. An added benefit is that with a healthy dog, you’ll likely be making fewer trips to the veterinarian. How You Can Help Your Dog Lose Weight While certain health conditions—like low thyroid hormone levels—can result in an overweight dog, a poor diet and lack of exercise are often key contributors to weight gain in dogs. “We’re seeing dogs who are increasingly being overfed and not exercised enough. They are also increasingly considered members of the family, with pet owners using treats as a form of communication and love,” says Dr. David Dilmore, medical editor at Vancouver, Washington-based Banfield Pet Hospital. The good news, says Dr. Dilmore, is that even small changes can have a big impact over the long term. “Instead of resolving to run with your dog 3 miles a day, start with walking a few extra blocks each day. Cutting down on ‘people food’ and limiting treats to no more than 10 percent of the dog’s daily calories are also small changes you can make.” Another easy change is to use dog interactive toys for mealtime rather than a dog bowl. Some interactive toys encourage dogs to increase their activity levels, says Dr. Angela Witzel, clinical assistant professor at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville. The Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble dog toy and Starmark treat-dispensing Bob-a-Lot dog toy, for example, are designed to make your pup work for her dog food or dog treats. Partner with your veterinarian to design a balanced diet that ensures that your dog is losing weight properly. Additionally, “Consulting with your veterinarian before starting an exercise plan for your pet is a good idea, as it may be best to start slow to build up your pet’s endurance,” says Dr. Dilmore. Getting fit can actually be fun, too. You can use technology to help monitor the progress your pet is making and set daily goals for her. A dog activity tracker, like the FitBark 2 waterdog activity and sleep monitor, can help you meet those fitness goals, monitor your pup’s movements and track progress. It even has an option that lets you synchronize the monitor to your phone so you can get in shape together. If you need a little extra motivation in helping your dog lose weight, consider the following benefits.

Image via iStock.com/Mark Newton By Linda Rodgers “A dog that’s constantly pulling is frustrating for owners who just want to go on a nice, leisurely walk,” says Mary Huntsberry, a certified animal behaviorist and owner of Helping Pets Behave in Gaithersburg, Maryland. If you find yourself being dragged on your daily walks, it might be time to consider your options when it comes to dog walking supplies. A dog harness made specifically to discourage pulling, for example, can help you gain more control on your walk and improve your pup’s dog leash skills. By using a no-pull dog harness, you can help make walks more enjoyable and prevent your dog from hurting herself. Why Leash Pulling Can Be Harmful If your pup is only wearing an ordinary dog collar, she can put a lot of tension on her throat as she strains forward, especially if you grip the leash or yank it back. This kind of pressure can hurt your dog’s neck regardless of her size, but especially if she belongs to a smaller breed. “Little dogs can actually do a lot of damage to their very sensitive throats and trachea if they do excessive pulling,” says Mikkel Becker, certified dog trainer and resident trainer for FearFreeHappyHomes.com. Excessive pulling can also lead to unwanted behaviors. Say your dog pulls whenever she sees another dog. If you hold her back, jerk the leash or drag her away, she begins to associate that unpleasant experience with other dogs. “Dogs make associations with what’s happening in their environment and whatever they’re looking at, so from their perspective, seeing another dog predicts this unpleasant reaction from their owners,” Huntsberry explains. The result: Every time your dog sees another dog, she becomes uneasy and starts barking. A no-pull dog harness helps end the leash battle between you and your dog so that you can have more peaceful walks. How No-Pull Dog Harnesses Work The best no-pull dog harnesses have straps that cross above your pup’s shoulders and can be fastened at center of your dog’s chest and behind her front legs, says Becker. The dog harness will also have a clip in front for the leash. Once you clip the leash to the front ring and begin walking, your dog has to stay by your side in order to keep moving forward. If she does pull, the leash goes off to the side—not straight back—which directs your dog back towards you. That gives you greater ability to control and guide your dog back to your side by applying a little pressure, she adds. Features to Look for in a No-Pull Dog Harness Standard front clip. One dog harness option available is the PetSafe Easy Walk dog harness. Like other front-clip harnesses, it encourages you and your dog to engage in what trainers call loose-leash walking—when your dog walks by your side in a relaxed manner. A front clip and back ring. Dog harnesses that have rings for clipping a leash on the back and front, like the 2 Hounds Freedom no-pull dog harness and leash, can minimize pulling. Becker explains that having a front and back ring means you can increase and decrease control as needed. As your pup becomes more accustomed to loose-leash walking, you can graduate from using both the back and front rings to just the front ring and then just the back ring. Becker says another benefit is that “You can clip the leash to adjust to whatever situation you and your dog find yourselves—for example, a crowded sidewalk versus an open green space.” Wider straps. If straps are thin and flimsy, the material is likely to chafe against your dog’s skin if she does pull toward something, says Huntsberry. “A thicker, wider strap is going to better distribute the pressure” so it doesn’t cut into your dog’s skin. Some dog harnesses even have cushioning, like the Frisco padded front lead dog harness, which has wide straps as well as a front and back ring. Cushioning makes a harness even more comfortable for your dog, especially if you own a breed that doesn’t have much fur.

Image via iStock.com/SeventyFour By Paula Fitzsimmons Getting your pup off the sofa and moving on a regular basis is essential to her health and well-being. If you need a tool to support this goal, consider using a dog activity tracker—a type of dog tracking collar that not only complements a dog weight loss program, but also provides you with important health data. Activity trackers for dogs vary in functionality, features and price points. Understanding the differences can help you choose a device that will best serve you and your pup’s specific needs. Your veterinarian will be the best person to ask about establishing a dog exercise regimen as well as a source of product recommendations. Dog Tracking Collars 101 The term “dog tracking collar” is a catchall for different categories of trackers. Dog GPS trackers are dog tracking collars that solely work in real time to help you locate your pup. Canine activity trackers—some of which include GPS tracking for dogs—can aid in dog weight loss by providing you with details about your best pal’s health and activity levels. Dog Activity Trackers Most dog activity trackers work like the ones we use for ourselves, although experts say they’re not as sophisticated quite yet. “They provide data on how active dogs are. This includes having a starting point—a baseline—so it’s possible to know where the exercise or activity program starts so progress can be monitored. It is also fun to see improvement and encourages people to increase their activity level right along with their dogs,” says Laura Hills, KA-CTP, CPDT-KSA, CCFT,  CTDI, CGC, CLASS, VSPDT, owner of The Dogs’ Spot, a dog training center based in North Kansas, Missouri.   Bonus Feature: If you hire a dog walker, you can know for sure if your pup was walked as promised. The FitBark 2 water-resistant dog activity and sleep monitor is an example of a dog activity tracker without GPS technology. Its focus is on providing details on a dog’s health, movement, rest patterns and behavior, which can help with weight loss in dogs. “In addition to providing information specific to my dog, it is providing a daily health index, calories burned, miles traveled and an activity index. I am also receiving information on how my dog, Fiona, compares to other dogs her age and relative activity level,” says Hills. Activity trackers with a GPS for dogs component can do these things as well—to varying degrees, depending on the individual product—plus give you the actual location of your pup. If your dog leaves a designated area, for example, trackers like the Whistle 3 dog and cat GPS tracker and activity monitor and Link AKC GPS and activity monitor smart collar can send you a text alert on your smartphone so you can respond immediately.

Reviewed for accuracy on May 7, 2019, by Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM If you have a dog, you’ve probably had an emotional connection with them. Most dog owners claim that their pups are incredible at empathizing—picking up on their emotional cues and taking action to make them feel better when they’re sad or distressed. And the evidence isn’t just anecdotal; a 2018 study on dog empathy found that when their owners made distressing sounds—like saying “help” or crying—dogs would try to reach them much faster than if they made neutral sounds. It was also discovered that the higher the dog scored on a “bond test” (which measured the level of attachment a dog felt to their owner), the faster they’d try to reach them when they were in distress. Dogs oftentimes mirror our emotions, says Russell Hartstein, certified dog behaviorist, dog trainer and founder of Fun Paw Care. So clearly, dogs can empathize with humans. But can dogs feel sympathy for other dogs? Can Dogs Read Other Dogs’ Emotions? “I would argue that yes, dogs may have empathy for other [dogs],” says Hartstein. And while there isn’t a large amount of research on dog empathy, there is one promising study that explores how dogs react to other dogs’ emotions. In a 2017 study, researchers from the University of Vienna sought to test how dogs would react to human and dog emotions. The researchers had pet owners bring their dogs into a laboratory that was equipped with speakers at different points in the room. The researchers then played a series of human and dog sounds. For human emotions, they used laughing (positive) or crying (negative). For dog emotions, they used lighthearted and playful barking (positive) and dog whining (negative). They also played neutral sounds, like nature sounds or a person speaking in a neutral voice. The researchers then observed whether the dogs paid greater attention to the positive, negative or neutral audio. They also looked to see whether the dogs showed signs of distress, like paw licking, whining or barking. The researchers tallied the behaviors and assigned a “score” to each auditory cue. The study found that dogs paid more attention to emotional auditory cues than neutral ones. Even more tellingly, they found that dogs scored significantly higher when exposed to negative auditory cues, which implies that dogs can differentiate between positive and negative emotions in both humans and other dogs. They also found that dogs show higher levels of distress when exposed to negative emotions. According to the study, there was no difference in emotional reactions when dogs heard human sounds compared to when they heard dog sounds. While this study isn’t irrefutable proof that dogs experience empathy for other dogs, it certainly makes a strong argument that dogs have the ability to empathize with other canines. But Hartstein cautions, “[A dog’s] ability—or any animal’s ability—to put themselves in another’s shoes to experience what [another dog] is feeling or experiencing is not possible to measure.” Do Dogs Have More Sympathy for Dogs They Know? So, the study shows that dogs have strong reactions to hearing other dogs in distress. But what about their dog friends? If they share a home with another dog, will they have more empathy for them versus a dog they do not know? The same study suggests that dogs do empathize even more with their canine housemates. Researchers from the study explored whether dogs would behave any differently when played emotional auditory cues of unfamiliar dogs versus dogs they shared a home with. They found that the dogs showed much higher levels of stress (and scored higher overall) when played negative auditory cues from their dog friends. How to Encourage Empathy Within Your Dog If you want to encourage your dog to be more empathetic—to you, your family and to your other dogs—it starts with you. “My suggestion for creating more empathy in your pet is working on a respectful, kind relationship. This can mean simply hanging out, spending time together, and enjoying walks and playtime that is nurturing and kind,” says Dr. Jim D Carlson, DVM CVA CVTP, owner of Riverside Animal Clinic McHenry and Grove Animal Hospital & Holistic Center in Chicago. “Truly connecting with the human-animal bond will help you start to spot some humanlike emotions in your pet.” If you want to encourage more empathy between your dogs, foster your relationship with each dog and encourage their relationship and interactions with each other. “Dogs develop their own relationships within their pack. Encouraging positive behavior, comfort and fun will help dogs bond over time,” says Dr. Carlson. And don’t be surprised or discouraged if your dog’s way of showing empathy is different than yours. “Dogs have their own cues for reading emotions in each other. Many of them are physical. But they will also seek each other out during times of stress or emotion.” So, if you notice one dog licking the other’s face after a trip to the vet or rubbing his body against the other during a thunderstorm, recognize it as their way of showing empathy. If you want that empathy to continue, reward the behaviors with plenty of praise. By: Deanna deBara Featured Image: iStock.com/RedThinkHead