Camping with Your Dog

Summer is nearing its end, and lots of families are thinking about end-of-season camping trips before kids head back to school. Are you planning on taking your dog on a family camping trip? Remember that camping can be a great experience, as long as everyone is safe. Make sure your pet is up-to-date on flea and tick preventative before heading out to the woods. Also, be sure to bring plenty of dog food so that your dog doesn’t get tempted to eat your family’s picnic food. And lastly, make sure your campground of choice doesn’t have any pet restrictions posted because of the danger of large, predatory mammals in the area. Once you’re all ready for your camping trip, have a great time! 

Hot Weather and Cats

During hot weather, it’s important to think about your inside pets, such as cats! When your air conditioning stops working, or when your power goes out, remember that your indoor cat may become just as overheated as you or your other pets. Watch for signs of discomfort such as panting, anxiety often characterized by pacing, respiratory distress or hyperventilation evidenced by heavy breathing, or lethargy. Some options to cool your pet are to wrap a cold compress (a bag of frozen peas works great) in a towel and place it in your cat’s bed, or wipe them down with a cool wet towel. If their symptoms worsen, you may want to see medical help from us.