ePetDrugs Blog

By Sherril Steele-Carlin

Dogs in cars. You see them everywhere – on the highway, in parking lots, and even when parents drop their kids off at school. But how many of those dogs are buckled or tethered safely in the car? Probably not the majority and that is not a good thing.

Why buckle?

Buckling your dog into a specially made safety seat or harness any time you drive just makes sense. Like people, dogs that are not buckled in can suffer serious injuries in a car accident. Unbuckled dogs can be killed or severely injured by an airbag when it deploys, and they can fly through windshields or open windows, too.

The unthinkable

There’s another good reason to make sure your pet is safely buckled inside your car. What if you’re in an accident? If your dog is loose and survives the crash, it could become disoriented and frightened. That means your pet might bolt out of a door or window into traffic, with tragic results.

What to do

Buy a crate, harness system, or safety seat for your pet. Many pet shop owners have seen a keen interest in harnesses, crates, and safety seats for dogs. They usually sell several each week to owners concerned about their pet’s safety. Oh, and experts personally crate their dogs whenever they travel, even if it’s just a short trip to the market.

Try before you buy

You need to try out the safety equipment before you put it to good use, too. Experts recommend you bring your dog in to their shop so you get the proper fit for your harness or safety seat. It’s kind of like a car seat for a baby, they all aren’t the same size and shape, your dog really needs the correct fit to be safe. Remember, you still need to secure a crate, because in an accident it can still be tossed around if not strapped in.

Crate your cat

Traveling with your cat? The best thing for cats is a crate big enough to hold a litter box, food and water. Most cats aren’t fond of cars and are easily spooked, so crating your cat is the safest alternative for everyone.

Bark-BuckleUP!

A California organization promotes pet safety via their web site. The site’s founder, Christina Selter, says, “We believe that securing your pets during travel is best for your pet, the driver, passengers, and in an emergency for the EMTs/Fire/Police that are there to help you and your family.” The group’s motto is “Be smart ride safe,” a motto that makes sense for pet owners anywhere!

It’s here

Recently, California legislators proposed legislation that would ban pet owners from allowing pets to ride in owner’s laps, and more legislation may be planned to require pets to ride in pet safety seats. That’s just another reason to keep your pets safe in the seat!

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By Bonnie Shull

Springtime weather brings insect pests such as fleas, mosquitoes, and ticks. If you aren’t already using a once-a-month preventative now is the time to start. There are a variety of non-prescription products on the market that will help keep your pet healthy and happy.

K9 Advantix is a monthly topical for dogs that repels fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. This medication contains some ingredients that are highly toxic to cats. If there is any chance of the dog or its bedding coming into contact with cats, this product should not be used. If you don’t own any cats, this is the best non-prescription choice for dogs.

Frontline Plus and Frontline Plus For Cats will kill all stages of fleas and ticks, but does not repel mosquitoes. If you are looking for a non-prescription preventative for your dog and you also own cats, this should be your choice. You should also have your pets on an oral heartworm preventative such as Heartguard or Inteceptor.

There are oral parasite preventatives on the market. Program only prevents fleas, and Sentinal only prevents fleas and heartworms. The comprehensive topicals are a better deal, but these products are good fall-backs if your pet is allergic to the topical treatments.

Even while your pet is taking a monthly preventative, they can pick up a batch of adult fleas outdoors and bring them in. If you have or obtain a temporary flea infestation Capstar for your pet and an application of Flea Stoppers Carpet Powder in your house will defeat the onslaught.

Capstar kills the live fleas on your pet. For 24 hours this product will make the fleas literally jump off of your dog or cat! Flea Stoppers Carpet Powder is an all natural boric acid product that kills adult and larval fleas by dehydrating them. Both of these products are great to have on hand.

Once you start using these comprehensive once a month preventatives you’ll love your pet even more. Fido is much more fun when he isn’t sharing his fleas.

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By Sherril Steele-Carlin

Raw food is taking the pet world by storm, and opinions rage on both sides of this controversial diet. A raw food diet, often referred to as “Bones and Raw Food” or “Biologically Appropriate Raw Food” (BARF) consists of raw (or cooked) natural food like your pet would encounter if they lived in the wild. Think chicken, beef, turkey, or any other meat, and you have the basis for the raw diet, but there’s more to it than that.

Grace Waymire is the owner of Meg’s Meats in Truckee, CA, a company providing hormone and antibiotic free meats for the BARF diet. Waymire is also a nurse, and has been feeding a raw food diet to her dogs for over 15 years.

She says raw food can help a variety of health problems, like arthritis. “Processed food is grain based, grains break down to sugars, and sugars are the main cause of arthritis. Arthritis can clear up in a couple of weeks when the processed food is removed and replaced with a raw diet.” This can lower vet bills in some cases.

Dogs on a raw food diet also have shinier coats, don’t need teeth cleaning, have more energy, and they no longer have fleas, according to Waymire. They may live longer too, depending on the dog. However, you should always assess your dog’s health and age before you begin any raw food diet.

Anti-Raw

Of course, while many pet owners and vets sing the praises of a raw diet, many others believe the diet is dangerous. First, raw meat, if not handled properly, can promote Salmonella, a bacterial disease affecting both dogs and humans, and can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.

Using safe food handling practices, just like you’d use for your family, including thoroughly washing hands, knives, and cutting boards in hot soapy water after use can help reduce the threat of contamination.

Dr. Andrew Weil, a professor of medicine at the University of Arizona, notes, “If you decide upon a raw meat diet, be sure to familiarize yourself with your dogs’ nutritional requirements and learn how to optimize them. There is much more involved than tossing a hunk of meat into a bowl.”

Raw food diets include bones or bone fragments, and organ meats. Some people believe dogs and cats can choke on the bones. Many raw food experts believe feeding bones can be safe, but you should always supervise your pet when you feed bones.

Consider the costs:

• Feeding a raw food diet is more expensive. Always make sure you buy your raw food meats from a reputable dealer that safety tests their products, develops them for the optimum nutrition and health benefits, and has an excellent reputation.

Raw Food Pros

Healthier animal

Lower vet bills

You control portion and ingredients

Raw Food Cons

Possibility of contamination

Possibility of choking on bones

More expensive

More time consuming to prepare

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