Nowadays, we love our pets like family members, so it’s not uncommon to travel with them while we’re planning our vacation. After all, 45% of pet owners1 would now consider taking their family vacation with their dog. That said, is it always best to travel with your pet, and if you do, what’s the safest, least stressful way? Here are a few tips about safe travel facts that you should consider before transporting your #1 baggage.

First, ask yourself if it’s worth putting your pet through the stress of traveling if you’re only going for a few days – if your pet doesn’t travel well, it’s not worth the risk or stress. Honestly, he’d prefer to be sleeping at home instead of spending the trip confused and fearful of loud noises (think of it as his vacation away from you).

If you do decide to travel with your pet, make sure your pet is healthy by scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian. If you travel out of state or out of the country, you’ll need a current health certificate (dated within 10 days of travel) to verify that he’s healthy, isn’t carrying any external or internal parasites (fleas, ticks, or gastrointestinal worms), and is current on his vaccines. If you’re going somewhere mosquito or heartworm bound, your pet should be on a preventative also. Next, plan the route in advance. Find several emergency veterinarians along the way (if you’re driving), or at your destination in case anything happens. Have your veterinarian’s phone number and an animal poison control phone number programmed in your cell in case of emergency (like Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680). Route out several hotels that are pet friendly (Motel 6 always is!).

While you’re making your own list of New Year’s resolutions, don’t forget about your dog or cat… after all, he’s the love of your life and likely needs some help too. Vow to make these 4 simple lifestyle changes, all which will help improve your pet’s mental and physical health in the upcoming year.

I will not feed my pet table scraps.
With 60-70% of the pet population obese (that’s over 20% of ideal body weight), it’s important to cut back on calories. In fact, your dog or cat has much better self-control than you do – they can’t access food without you! You just simply have to ignore their begging. It’s worth it - after all, studies have proven that skinnier dogs live longer and are healthier. Those small extra table scraps are dangerous for your pet – the extra weight adds strain to the musculoskeletal system, heart, trachea, and lungs. While you may think that you’re loving your pet more by feeding him more, you’re actually slowly hurting – or even killing him… and your wallet. Take the ACL tear, which results in chronic limping. It’s one of the most common results of canine obesity (particularly in Labrador retrievers), costing you anywhere between $1500-3500 to fix just one knee!  To top it off, once your dog undergoes surgery for one knee, the other knee ends up compensating to put up with all that extra weight… resulting in a strained and then torn second ACL. To think – you could have prevented all these problems with a simple weight loss plan for your dog.

February rings in “National Pet Dental Health Month,” and while you may think this holiday sounds as Hallmark as Valentine’s Day, it’s a pet necessity. Over 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of dental disease by 3 years of age, and unfortunately only 2% of pet lovers out there actually brush their pet’s teeth daily.  Halitosis, chronic mouth pain, tooth loss, and receding gums aren’t your pet’s only problem with having a foul mouth – dental disease can result in bacteria from the mouth entering the bloodstream, resulting in rare but deadly infections in the heart, kidneys, and liver.  Here, five tips to motivate and make it easier to keep your pet’s mouth more kissable.

Know what’s normal
I’m embarrassed to say that while brushing my own dog’s teeth recently (I used to only brush every few months!), I found a cancerous gum tumor. As a vet, I was dismayed that I had missed this, as it had probably been slowly growing there for weeks. Thankfully, after an aggressive tooth and partial jaw bone removal, my dog was cured. But had I been monitoring my mutt’s mouth more carefully, it could have resulted in a more benign surgery. So, if this can happen to a vet, pay heed. Commit yourself to knowing what’s normal for your pet’s mouth: pink gums, white teeth, and decent breath. Start by lifting up your pet’s cheek flaps so you can inspect the gums and teeth. If you notice any signs of pawing at the face or mouth, a change in eating or chewing habits, halitosis, redness near the gum line, bleeding after brushing, or abnormalities (like tumors or masses), take your pet in for a professional look. More importantly, be consistent. Pick one day and time (for example, Sunday after brunch) to do a full mouth inspection and consistently brush your pet’s teeth. Let’s be realistic – I’m not asking for daily brushing from you… but let’s try for at least weekly!

After a full body shave down with my vet clippers, my cat Seamus struts around the house like he’s king of the hill – I think he loves feeling completely groomed and fur-free. Grooming is an important part of pet ownership – it’ll keep your pet happier, healthier and more comfortable. It’ll also help eliminate hairballs in your cats (and secondary vomiting), keep your house more fur free, keep the allergen level down (from all that dander), and keep your pet from developing painful, matted hair (think dreadlocks) – these can result in a bigger underlying problem like a moist dermatitis (i.e., “hot spot”) underneath if left untreated.  During these tough times, save your pet the stress and you the costs of going for a professional grooming job – with some elbow grease, the right tools, and some patience, you might be able to do the job at home.
 
Pet products worth buying
I’ve seen a lot of expensive emergency vet visits due to home-grooming – owners who accidentally cut their dog’s skin (or even their tongue) with sharp scissors in an attempt to get mats out or give their pet a haircut themselves. When it comes to your pet, never use any sharp instruments near them! Instead, splurge on a one-time costly, but appropriate, grooming tool instead – it’ll pay off in the long run, and save you an expensive ER visit.