About Pet Friendly Travel

The first thing that you need to do in order to prepare your dog for pet friendly travel is to get your dog a proper traveling kennel. The kennel must be in compliance with the airline regulations. Usually, the kennel will have to be large enough so that the dog can stand up and sit down comfortably.

So, where do you go to find the right kennel for pet friendly travel? Well, you can go to your local pet supply store, but at the same time you want to make sure you get the safest kennel possible, as well as the most comfortable. Thus, you should probably ask your veterinarian for advice.

The next thing you need to consider is how long the flight is going to be. You want to make sure that the dog is properly accommodated so that the dog will not have to go to the bathroom during the flight and it in it. You should keep some food and water in the cage, but ideally the dog should not be fed a couple of hours before the flight.

Another thing that you need to consider when preparing for pet friendly travel is if the animal does go to the bathroom, what you should place in the kennel for it. Most airlines prefer only a towel, but you should also include a shirt of yours with your scent on it so that the dog can feel more comfortable.

Once you have gotten all of the necessary items needed for the pet friendly travel, on the day of the flight you will have to get all the paperwork necessary and have the kennel outfitted with the various stickers such as “Live Animal.” You will need to have the animal at the cargo area of the airliner a few hours before the flight.

With the flight underway, you need not worry about your animal, because airlines have an obligation to make sure all of their cargo is safe. In fact, you can ask airline stewards how the animal is, as they should keep track.

For more information on pet friendly travel procedures, be sure to check the official website of the airline you will be traveling on. There should be a section of the website dedicated to that topic. You are sure to find all of the necessary information with the proper research.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Moving Across Country With Your Dog

The immune system’s strength, in people as well as animals, is affected by the quality of nutrition. A dog’s behavior, happiness, health, longevity and overall well-being are direct result of the nutrition offered in the daily diet. Each dog has special nutritional needs that vary from animal to animal.

There are several easily noticeable symptoms of nutritionally caused deficiencies: allergies, hot spots, lack of energy, joint problems, arthritis and poor behavior.
Nutritional balance is the key to a healthy pet and not giving the dog bad pet food will help with the inflammation of arthritis and other major health problems.

Quality Of Good and Bad Pet Foods

Poor quality pet foods are common in grocery stores and pet supply stores. The low price tag may be tempting and seem like a bargain for what is often advertised as a “premium” product, but the items really contained in your pet’s food may be surprising.

Dogs need meat and protein, being carnivores, and they also need carbohydrates, vitamins, fat, minerals, and water. Essentially, they need all six of the basic types of nutrients. Manufacturers of pet food have the choice of the types and amounts of proteins, minerals, and vitamins that they put into their products. Chicken, lamb, and beef, which contain higher amounts of protein, are needed by active dogs. Plants or grains such as corn, soy, wheat, and rice have enough protein for less active dogs.
Most dog food is made with ingredients that are edible by humans, such as rice, chicken, liver, vegetables, etc, which is not bad pet food.

Dogs have specific nutritional needs, but most pet owners do not realize that all dogs and most good or bad pet foods are not alike. Many commercial dog food brands are lacking in key nutrients, which are edible for humans, and even other species of animals, can pose hazards for dogs because of their different metabolism. Some may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, and even death.

However, there are a few common food items that are bad pet foods to give to dogs. Chocolate, for instance, is very toxic to both dogs and cats. Baking chocolate contains more toxins than milk chocolate does, but both forms are potentially lethal. Two or three squares of baking chocolate could prove fatal to a smaller dog. Tea and coffee are likewise toxic, as they contain the same chemicals. Warning signs of food poisoning in dogs are excitement, nervousness, muscle spasms, seizures, and increased body temperature. Veterinary treatment is recommended as soon as possible.

Caroline Bourke is a full time beauty therapist in Florida. Check out these great Dogs Advice resources and articles or the more general Pets Advice advice and info.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Avoid Bad Pet Food