Friday's Furcast: When Fido Can't "Stomach" Traveling

As we wrap up our summer, many of us are taking a family vacation. For many of us, our beloved family pet is often included in these travel plans.  But what if Fido  can't "stomach" the thought of travel?  According to statistics, 1 in 6 dogs that travel experience motion sickness.  34% of pet owners report they would travel more if their pet didn't get sick.   Much like humans, dogs can also experience a feeling of illness while on car trips.  Motion sickness is more common in puppies and young dogs,  just as children experience motion sickness more than adults.  The reason for this is that the structures within the ear associated with balance are not fully developed in puppies.  Fortunately, many dogs will outgrow car sickness.  

Despite this, some adult dogs still experience motion sickness because of a learned association of cars with stress and nausea.  If your dog has been nauseous traveling in the car as a puppy, they may have conditioned themselves to see car travel as a time when they will get sick.  Or, if the dog has only been in the car to go to the vet, he may make himself sick from apprehension of seeing the vet.  Sometimes, reconditioning will help your dog to relax in the car.  Reconditioning takes patience, but can be accomplished through the following:

• Take short car trips to places your dog enjoys
• Gradually build your dog's tolerance.  Allowing your dog to sit in the car with you while the engine is off or idling can help. Take rides around the block and gradually increase to longer trips.
• Use treats to make the car a fun place.
• Buy a special toy that they can only play with in the car.  

There are still many pets that experience motion sickness despite having no learned associations of travel with nausea.  For these pets, improving their physical comfort while in the car can help to make travel easier.  

• Remember to face your dog forward in a moving vehicle.  Looking out side windows causes objects to blur.  If your dog is facing forward, he will see less movement and experience less nausea.  I recommend dogs travel in a middle seat if possible.  Avoid the farthest back seat because this is where there is the most motion.  And remember that front passenger air bags pose a potential hazard to dogs.   
• Opening the windows a little bit will allow for better ventilation and help reduce air pressure inside the vehicle.  
• Keep it cool in the vehicle.  A hot, stuffy ride can make car sickness worse for your dog.  
• Use a crate or car booster seat.  This helps your pet feel more secure and will reduce unwanted motion sickness.  
• Restrict your pet's diet before travel.   We recommend no food a minimum of two hours prior to travel.
• Frequent stops during long trips decrease your pet's stress and anxiety.  It also allows them to stretch, drink, and use the bathroom.
• Exercise your pet before getting in the car.  

Despite all these tips, a few dogs will require medication in order to travel without nausea and anxiety. Your veterinarian can be very helpful in getting you a prescription medication to lessen motion sickness and help keep them calm.   There are also numerous over the counter and homeopathic remedies that are helpful for pets.  Always discuss any of these medication with your veterinarian before using them to make sure the dosage is correct and that the medication won't harm your dog.  

Happy summer and happy travels!

Keep Your Outdoor Cats Protected

The typical cat flea doesn’t ask a lot from life.  All it wants are the basics:  a comfortable place to live, proper nourishment, and the chance to raise little flea babies.  That’s why fleas, if given the opportunity, will eagerly hop onto your cat’s back and take up residence.  Therefore, year round flea prevention is a MUST for all cats, but especially those that spend all or part of their days in the great outdoors.    

Fleas are the most common of all external feline parasites.  While fleas will most likely make your cat terribly uncomfortable, they can also be a source of disease. Not only can fleas carry the bacteria that causes Cat Scratch Fever, but they also transmit the dog and cat tapeworm.  Tapeworm is one of the most common internal parasites suffered by pets, partly because tapeworms are carried by fleas.  Most cats are infected by tapeworm at some time in their lives either by exposure to infected fleas or when a cat eats rodents that host tapeworm larvae.

Fortunately for cats, fleas and tapeworms are easily prevented with topical medications.  Here at Badger Veterinary Hospital, we recommend year round flea prevention with the topical product, Revolution.  Year round treatment has become especially important with the mild winters and fluctuating temperatures that have become more common here in the Midwest.  Revolution is applied to your cat once a month and not only provides protection against fleas, but has the added advantages of preventing heartworm disease and the treatment and control of hookworms, roundworms, and ear mites. 

To address the cats that may be infested with tapeworms by hunting, we recommend not only the monthly applications of Revolution, but also treating your outdoor cat quarterly with the topical dewormer, Profender.  Profender contains the active ingredient, praziquantal, which directly eliminates the tapeworm infestation. 

Following this easy, stress-free protocol, will ensure your beloved cat remains free of the most common external and internal parasites that can pose potentially serious health risks.  

Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-Barf

Badger Veterinary Hospital is here to prepare you and your pets for the holidays.  Watch the video above to understand the impact of common holiday foods and household toxins that affect our pets and bring them to Badger unexpectedly.  We want everyone healthy and happy this holiday season!

After Hours!

The Scoop on Poop!

Each year, you get a postcard from your veterinarian reminding you of your pet's yearly wellness exam and vaccines.  At the bottom of the list of overdue services is always the yearly fecal examination.  Inevitably, you show up to the appointment and you've forgotten that poop sample.  Most people shrug it off saying, "I'll remember to bring it next year."  Well, I'm here to remind you just how important that once yearly stool sample really is.

Intestinal parasites are of great concern not only for your cat or dog, but for your family as well.  Consider these statistics:  Nationwide, 34% of dogs and cats are infected with gastrointestinal parasites.  Furthermore, 73% of pediatricians in the US reported cases of children with parasitic infection.

Pets can shed eggs into the environment and many different parasite eggs can thrive in the environment for years.  Children become infected by putting soil/sand/objects that are contaminated with fecal matter into their mouths or by walking barefoot in contaminated soil.

The good news is we can do a lot to decrease infection rates in both our pets and ourselves.  Have a fecal exam done on your pet once yearly.  Try to pick up pet waste daily and dispose of it properly.  Wear shoes in areas that dogs visit frequently such as parks and playgrounds.  Wear gloves while gardening.  And most importantly, practice good hygiene.  Wash hands frequently, especially after handling pets or cleaning up pet waste.

The link below contains more in depth information on this topic:intestinal-parasites