Camping, fishing and hiking vacations are often more fun when the family dog goes along. The following tips should help you to smooth sailing on land or water:
- When vacationing with your dog, pack easy, efficient clean up items, like a poop scoop or heavy plastic baggies. It’s important that you walk Spot in the designated areas and clean up after him. Each year more and more motels and campgrounds refuse to accommodate dogs because of the dirt and destruction left behind by a few irresponsible owners.
- Unfamiliar water causes diarrhea in some dogs, so it’s smart to carry water from home or buy bottled water along the way. Also bring dog food from home, portion-packed for easy use. Sometimes it’s difficult to find Spot’s brand on the road and a sudden switch to a different food could cause an upset stomach.
- When driving with your windows closed, your air-conditioner on, and Spot crated in the back of the vehicle, check occasionally to be sure cool air is reaching him.
- High humidity makes a day feel hotter than it actually is and could cause Spot to breathe noisily or appear to have difficulty breathing. Don’t over-exercise him when the humidity is high. If you’re driving, carry ice, water, and towels even on short trips because you may get into a traffic jam or have car problems. Even if you’re stuck on the side of the road for hours without air conditioning, Spot will stay cool by laying on a wet towel and licking ice cubes.
- Be wary of undertows (strong currents) when allowing Spot to swim in rivers and in the ocean. After he swims in salt water or chlorine, wash him with fresh water. Doggie life preservers are available in all sizes and are excellent for fishermen and floaters who take their dogs out to sea with them. It is extremely difficult to rescue a dog that has fallen from a boat in heavy seas, and even a dog of a top swimming breed can eventually become exhausted and drown. A life vest will help Spot maintain buoyancy, and the convenient handle will make water rescue easier.
- Vacationing without Spot may necessitate putting him in a boarding kennel. Plan ahead so you can get references from friends, and tour the facility before deciding to leave him there. Ask what medical records you will need to bring along, and beware of any boarding kennel that doesn’t demand that your dog be up to date with his inoculations. Also, find out what brand of dog food the boarding kennel uses, and buy some about a week before leaving. Then get Spot used to the brand by mixing it with his regular food, adding a little more each day. If he dislikes it, or if it changes his stool, ask if you may supply pre-measured servings of his regular dinner.
Expensive, But Worth It
When Tom and Jean Hoag of Phoenix, Arizona adopted their dog Joe from Mastiff Rescue, he tested positive for Valley Fever. That was two years ago and Joe has been on medication ever since. Today he shows no symptoms and has gained forty needed pounds. His blood tests have improved at each testing and the Hoags are anticipating a gradual withdrawal from medication. Tom says, 'We are sure Joe is in the running for the most expensive dog in the universe, and I might add, worth every cent.”
The Healing is Mutual
Mary Lewis, a veterinarian from Glenview, Illinois, received a call from a colleague asking if she and her family would be willing to let a Labrador Retriever named Sandy recuperate at their house for a couple months. The young dog needed a place to live until her plated femur healed and she could be placed in a permanent home. Mary’s friend explained that Sandy’s original owners had elected euthanasia when they heard it would cost nearly $800 to repair the dog’s mangled leg. But the veterinarian saw a special sweetness in Sandy and asked her owners for permission to repair her leg and place her.
Silly, sweet Sandy was in pain and needed a home just when the Lewis family was grieving and needed a dog.
Sandy arrived at the Lewis home depressed and in pain. Coincidentally, the Lewises were also suffering. Only a few days earlier their beloved family dog had died prematurely. “We took Sandy with hurting hearts,” Mary Lewis said. “We didn’t have any intention of keeping her. I really hoped to start with another Lab pup.”
Even though she was so sore from surgery that it took her a few minutes just to figure out how to lie down, Sandy never had an accident in the house, was quiet and comfortable in a crate, and didn’t get upset by the constant activity in a family with three youngsters under four years old. The Lewises were smitten in spite of themselves. Mary says, “The same sweet face and big heart that saved Sandy’s life won a permanent place in our home. The demands of our three children dictated that we didn’t have time to start a seven-week-old puppy. This fifteen-month- old dog was perfect.”
Today Sandy performs a wide variety of tricks, has become an accomplished Frisbee catcher, and provides cheer as a pet therapy dog. She also helps her owner save other dogs’ lives by serving as a donor dog for blood transfusions in Mary’s veterinary practice. “Most importantly, every day Sandy tests my shadow,” Mary says. “She’s always there with her unconditional love. I’m thankful this silly, sweet Lab came into our family.”
