What to do with your Pet While Traveling
Why Should I Neuter My Pet?
Love to Garden? Keep It Safe for Your Pets!
The Ten Commandments of Finding A Lost Pet
What's The Real Story On Pet Health Insurance

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What to Do with Your Pet When You Travel

Much as we love our pets, they can’t always be with us - especially when we travel. And the decision about what’s best for them while we are away can be difficult.

Dogs and cats are creatures of habit and, according to animal behaviorist, it’s being without you - their owner - that causes stress.  In fact, being home isn’t that comforting for most pets if their owner isn’t there.  What pets need most is frequent contact with caring humans and a routine - even if it’s different from the home routine.

Benefits of Boarding

For most pets, the least stressful option will be a stay in full-service boarding kennel with a structured schedule and lots of interaction with professional staff throughout the day.  A well-run kennel will be fully monitored and will have a veterinarian on-call around the clock, so you know problems can be addressed right away.  Dogs, in particular, actually enjoy the kennel since they are social animals and it gives them the opportunity to be around other canines (which also helps distract them from missing you).

Of course, there are some pets who don’t belong in a boarding kennel:  those with serious health problems that require medical monitoring (they should stay with a vet); those who are very young; those that are not fully immunized; and those that have serious fear or aggression problems.

Choosing a Kennel

But how do you find a quality kennel?  Whether you start with a friend’s recommendation or the yellow pages, always visit the facilities you are considering.  Stop in during business hours and request a tour.  If you are told you need an appointment, go elsewhere.  As you tour, observe:  Is the facility clean and safe?  Do the pets have adequate space? Are there opportunities for exercise and play?  If your pet has a special diet, be sure to ask whether they can handle that, and ask about special services and amenities – like raised bedding, playgroups and ice cream treats -- that will make your pet’s stay more like a vacation.Most importantly, watch the staff interacting with their guests.  Do they talk to them and call them by name?  You want your pet surrounded by people who love animals.

Preparing your Pet

Since quality boarding kennels book up as quickly during holiday and vacation periods, when you find one you like, don’t wait to make a reservation.  Then, get your pet ready:

• Update vaccinations one to two weeks in advance of boarding for maximum effectiveness.  (A quality kennel will require proof that inoculations are current.)
• Prepare contact info for your veterinarian, for yourself at your destination, and for someone local who can serve as “emergency backup” if you can’t be reached.
• If you pet requires special food or medication, pack a supply for the boarding period plus a few extra days, just in case. Include a familiar toy, but not his favorite in case of possible loss.

If your pet is a first-time boarder and you are anxious about leaving him, make arrangements to call and check in.  The staff at a quality facility won’t mind taking a call from a worried pet owner to reassure you that your best friend is doing just fine.

Provided by Best Friends Pet Care, at 5602 Royalton Street in Houston and at 26839 Interstate 45 South in Spring.  Best Friends offers high-quality dog and cat boarding and a full range of other pet care services.  For information, call 888-FOR-PETS or visit www.bestfriendspetcare.com.

Why should I neuter my pet?

Aside from the humane reasons, such as pet overpopulation, there are many valid medical reasons to neuter your pet.  Neutered pets live longer, healthier lives than intact (not neutered) pets.

First, the term “neuter” applies to both male and female pets, however the term “spay” is commonly used for females.  The actual surgical procedure involves the removal of the testicles in a male or the ovaries and the uterus in a female.

The neutering of a female pet can prevent many problems with her reproductive tract, some of which can be fatal, even with treatment.  Virtually all of these problems are preventable by neutering. 

One of the most common medical problems in non-neutered female dog is an infection in the uterus called pyometra.  This type of infection does not respond well to treatment with antibiotics and can lead to death if the uterus is not surgically removed.  Pets with pyometra are very sick and the surgery is extremely risky. 

Mammary (breast) cancer is another potentially fatal disease in female pets.  It is almost totally preventable through neutering.  Additionally, cancers of the reproductive tract, such as ovarian cancer, are totally preventable if the pet is neutered.

Male pets also benefit from neutering.  Medically, non-neutered male pets are more susceptible to both prostatitis and cancer of the reproductive tract. 

Non-neutered male pets are also much more prone to wander away from home when attracted by the scent of a female in heat.  This scent can carry for long distances, possibly several miles, and becomes overpowering to an intact male.  If a male pet wanders away from home, he may become lost, injured in a fight or run over by a car.  The majority of pets lost or treated for injuries by veterinarians are male.  This behavior is virtually eliminated by neutering.

A common misconception is that neutering a pet change his or her personality.  This is completely false.  A pet will have the same personality they do when not in heat or under the influence of a female in heat.  If anything, pet’s personality is more consistent after neutering. 

There are many myths about neutered pets.  The soundest information should come directly from your veterinarian.  If you need more evidence, you might ask if his or her own pets are neutered.  With the exception of breeding pets, I bet the answer is yes.  Mine are.

Article  by  H.M. Mark, DVM, President of Pet Vet Animal Hospitals

Love to Garden? Keep It Safe For Your Pets!

Did you know that hundreds of dogs and cats are poisoned each year by residential pesticide and fertilizer use?  Most fertilizers and pesticides include specific language that neither you nor your pet should enter a treated area for 24-72 hours after an application.  In 2003, we surveyed veterinarians in the Houston and surrounding areas to ascertain the commonality of lethal and non-lethal reactions from chemical fertilizer and pesticide use.

Having firsthand knowledge of a pesticide fatality, I was not surprised with our findings.  87% of our survey respondents noted a client’s pet had an adverse reaction to a chemical fertilizer or pesticide.  147 veterinarians reported 55 fatalities and 626 non-lethal cases last year.  

An average non-lethal reaction could be: a paw / pad / foot disease, hair loss, or vomiting - with the average cost of treatment between $218 – 381.00.  Thirty-nine percent of our respondents claimed an ingredient in chemical fertilizers as the cause of the reaction.  

As a landscape architect, I had been using various organic products on the market for my clients, but we still relied on chemical spot treatments.  I started to look for a pet safe alternative within the existing fertilizers on the market.  There really weren’t any.

With the assistance of my veterinarian, we augmented fertilizer contents of various existing organic products to create a pet safe product that would perform beautifully in high profile landscapes.  The result became the basis for the Pet Friendly^TM Fertilizer system.

Pet Friendly ^TM Fertilizers are landscape fertilizers that are safe for pets, children, and the environment.  We have been using our custom concoctions in our clients’ landscapes for over nine years.  Clients using these fertilizers, on a monthly basis, do not need any chemical applications or pesticides.  To view landscapes utilizing the Pet Friendly ^TM Fertilizer system visit www.landscapehouston.com.

As my “side project” started to get more attention, we realized that there was a market for landscape fertilizers that are safe for pets.  Our retail division was started in May of 2003.  In December of 2003, we were honored to donate our services to The Houston SPCA where the Pet Friendly ^TM system is used to treat the dog run areas and beautify their landscape.

As part of our commitment to make the world safer for our pets, we encourage veterinarians to offer any thoughts or suggestions that might help us further improve our products. 

For more information about Pet Friendly^TM Fertilizer or to purchase our products, visit www.petfriendlyfertilizer.com  

Article by Ms. Appel, a registered landscape architect (#1930) and parent to three rescued dogs.

The Ten Commandments of Finding A Lost Pet

1. Act immediately to try to locate the animal. many shelters can only hold an animal for 3-5 days. Many vet clinics do not have facilities to hold un-owned, injured animals.

2. Keep collar and ID tags on your pets, even indoor pets at all times.  A registered tattoo is an alternative identification. Unless the collar or ID tag is removed, it will serve as your pet's ticket home.

3. Keep pets indoors especially during holidays and special occasions. Festivities, houseguests, fireworks etc. can stress out a normally calm animal. Visitors are not always cautious about closing doors and gates and the pet often gets out. The pets can become frightened, disoriented and unable to find their way back

4. Microchip your pet. A simple computer chip injected beneath the skin between the animal's shoulder blades can mean the difference between life and death for a pet. The chip is registered with a 24-hour hotline that can relay current emergency and health information to the caregiver and notify the owner any time of night or day. this procedure is becoming a widely used permanent tool for shelters, veterinarians and animal caregivers to reunite lost pets with their owners. Call your local shelter or veterinarian for further information and to make an appointment.

5. Ask around the neighborhood to see if anyone noticed your animal or other clues that might help find your pet. Check local schools and parks where children come together as animals will often congregate with children. Drive through the area calling for your pet. Your pet may recognize your voice or the sound of your car.

6. Call all area shelters and animal control agencies and leave lost reports. Remember you are describing an animal to someone that does not know your pet and sees many animals during the course of a day. Be as descriptive as possible, especially in any detail that distinguishes your pet from another animal.

7. Post lost flyers in the entire area where the pet was lost, at nearby veterinary clinics, grooming shops, animal shelters, grocery stores, laundromats and other people frequented locations. Paste the flyers onto brightly colored cardboard and include a photo [the new color copiers reproduce photos well], phone number, and a brief description. DO NOT include address and if called save a few details to determine if the found animal si yours. Always take a friend with you to see a found animal and meet in a public place. Do not invite anyone to your home.

8. Physically visit all area shelters on a daily basis if possible. Shelters receive many animals and lost repots each day. Owner descriptions and physical characteristics of the animal as seen by shelter staff are not often the same. You know your pet. Microchips can take the guesswork out of descriptions.

9. Have proof of ownership with you when you look for your animal. Photos are best proof along with medical records and vaccination certificates. You will need a current rabies certificate to get an animal from animal control. Microchips provide immediate ownership proof.

10. Don't give up. Although it is critical to act immediately, some animals have been found months after being lost.

Article by Sherry Ferguson of Houston Humane Society

What's the Real Story On Pet Health Insurance?

We have all heard the scenario, or worse, had the experience. Spot gets sick or injured and we take him to the doctor. The veterinarian tells us how much it will cost to get Spot back on his feet. Then we get sick. Our mouths drop open and we are forced to determine if, and how, we can pay the the bill. We love our pets, but but we may not be able to afford a catastrophic illness or injury. It is a terrible dilemma and a position none of us want to be in.

The good news is that now none of us have to - thanks to the availability of pet health insurance What is pet health Insurance? It is typically reimbursement insurance similar to human health insurance without managed care. As the procedures for saving Spot's life or prolonging it become more sophisticated and complex, they have also become more costly. Procedures such as chemotherapy, a MRI, or just a simple prescription, could be covered under a pet health insurance policy. Similar to all insurance policies, pet health insurance policies have a list of covered and non-covered or excluded procedures.

How much does pet health insurance cost? The insured pays a premium, deductible and co-pay just as with any insurance policy. The variety of pet health insurance products is just as large as with human insurance. Some policies are designed to help pay for expenses you could not pay for. Others cover routine medical expenses such as vaccinations and dental cleanings.

Policies are affordable too. Canine catastrophic policy premiums may be as low as $100 per year. While a policy covering canine major medical and routine services (vaccinations, dental cleanings, spay/neuter...) is approximately $360. The premiums for similar policies for felines cost from $83 to $315. There are many different ways to pay for your pets health insurance policy, as there are policies. Some companies charge quarterly, others monthly and still others charge yearly fees. Most accept credit card payments.

What should be considered when purchasing pet health insurance? Review the complete list of policy coverages and exclusions. Make sure the policy covers major illnesses and emergency situations. Be familiar with the different waiting periods ( the time between applying for the policy and the day the policy goes into effect) and choose one that fits your needs.

Understand how much you have to pay if your pet becomes seriously ill or needs emergency treatment. Keep in mind that insurance is there to protect you from catastrophic events such as not being able to afford the proper treatment for your pet.

When purchasing policies that pay for routine services, decide which routine service you will use and determine how much you regularly spend for these services. Then compare the difference in premiums between a policy that covers routine procedures and one that does not. If the cost of what you would spend is less than the differences in premiums, then purchasing a policy that covers routine services does not make financial sense for you.

Finally become acquainted with the company's reimbursement process. Know how and when you will get reimbursed for covered services. Once you have purchased your policy ask the insurance company for several reimbursement forms and keep them with your pet records. This way you will not have to wait for a claim form to be sent to you before filing a claim and you will always know where the form is.

Pet health insurance is a must if you have a dog or cat. It is there to protect you and your pet and insure your peace of mind.

by: Ronnie Mark, Pet Vet Animal Hospitals