Traveling Tails Pet Care, LLC

20/08/2024

Today is National Bacon Lovers Day!
Celebrate by making some bacon dog treats!

Bacon Dog Treats - These dog treats are filled with bacon goodness and nutritious oats, and your pup is sure to go crazy for these!

19/08/2024

Vaccine Side Effects
Of course, there are side effects. The most common include lethargy, pain, swelling, or soreness around the injection site. They are usually back to their normal self within 24 hours. There can be more serious effects, but they are rare, including collapse, fainting, difficulty breathing, small hives, swollen eyes, muzzle or face, vomiting, or diarrhea. These usually occur within minutes or hours after vaccination. If your pet has had a history of reaction to a vaccine, let your veterinarian know, and they can assess if a vaccine is needed for your pet's lifestyle or give mediation before the vaccine to prevent a reaction.
The majority of pets are vaccinated without any problems.

18/08/2024

Did you know I offer a clicker training bundle?
With this bundle, you get your own clicker, a treat bag, some treats, and an hour of one-on-one training with me! We start by going over some basics with the human who will be training and some exercises to get your speed and timing, and then we add the dog (or cat)!
Clicker training is positive reinforcement training, using a clicker as the marker of the desired behavior. Using a clicker helps your pet connect the behavior wanted and the reward more easily; training a new behavior tends to be faster, and dogs can hear the click easier than a verbal marker in louder environments.
Contact me today to set up a clicker training session!

17/08/2024

Do you have pet insurance?
I do for Dixie and Ruby! Pet insurance can be a great peace of mind if something happens. There are many different companies with different policies on what they cover. Many don’t cover wellness appointments without a rider.
Many vet clinics require payment upfront, so if your pet has an emergency such as a broken leg, toxin, or seizures, that vet visit can add up quickly. With pet insurance, most will reimburse you depending on your policy and your deductible.

16/08/2024

Funny Friday!!

16/08/2024

Today is St. Roch’s Day. Saint Roch is the patron saints of dogs.

15/08/2024

Today is Check the Chip Day!!
Are your pets microchipped? It is always a good idea to double-check the chip and make sure nothing has happened since it was implanted. Vet clinics can use their scanners to do a quick scan and get the chip number.

14/08/2024

Does your dog bark a lot?
There are many reasons as to why your dog might be barking. It could be fear/anxiety, alertness, attention seeking, or frustration. This article talks about some things and solutions.

If you need more help, give me a call or message me today!

https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com/my-dog-is-barking-what-do-i-do/?fbclid=IwAR3A-G6E8DOLAf0LteLppGO3CmsQu0_jcXG4JfrR5XQVeCQ3Is8p6MQoJN0

Because barking can have many causes, it can be frustrating to manage. Here's how to recognize why dogs bark and what to do.

13/08/2024

Are you scared to trim your dog's nails? Here are some images that can help. You want to make sure their nails are trimmed on a regular basis. Long nails can affect their foot structure. Nails can even grow into the pad underneath and can cause pain and infections.

If you need help, I can trim them for you, or we can train your pet to like getting their nails trimmed!

12/08/2024

Pets have core and non-core vaccines. A core vaccine is a vaccine that protects from diseases that are endemic to a region, have potential public health significance, are required by law, are highly infectious, and/or pose a risk of severe disease. Non-core vaccines should be considered depending on the exposure risk of the pet.

🐾Rabies is a core vaccine for both cats and dogs. It is a serious zoonotic disease that is not treatable. In many states, it is legally required for pets to be vaccinated.
🐾Canine distemper combo (DHPP) is a core vaccine for dogs. This combo vaccine usually includes Canine Distemper, Infectious Caine Hepatitis, Canine Parvovirus, and Parainfluenza.
🐾Feline distemper combo (FVRCP) is a core vaccine for cats. This combo vaccine usually includes Feline Panleukopenia, Calicivirus, and Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis.

Non-core vaccines for dogs include Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme, Rattlesnake, and canine coronavirus.

In cats, non-core vaccines are Feline Leukemia.
The non-core vaccines are not required but may be a good idea depending on your pet's lifestyle and risks. Talk to your veterinarian or me if you have vaccine questions.

11/08/2024

Does your cat scratch your furniture? Are you considering declawing? There are other options. The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) and AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) discourage declawing cats as an elective procedure. Declawing cats is a major surgery; it is an amputation of the first joint of their toes. It is as if we were cutting off up to the first knuckle on our fingers. Some veterinary clinics won’t do the procedure anymore unless it is medically necessary. At least 21 countries now ban declawing.

Scratching is a normal behavior in cats. It conditions the claws, serves as a visual and scent territorial marker, allows the cat to defend themselves, and provides healthy muscle engagement.

There are many other options to help redirect scratching. You can provide plenty of scratching surfaces, scent them with catnip, frequent nail trims, nail caps (such as soft paws), positive reinforcement training, pheromone sprays/plug-ins, and discourage the use of inappropriate surfaces with sticky tape or tinfoil.

If you need help trimming your cat’s nails, applying soft paws, or devising a plan to train your cat to scratch only cat-friendly surfaces, give me a call or message me today.

10/08/2024

Today is Spoil Your Dog Day!
How will you celebrate? New toys, bed, homemade treats?? Post pictures of your spoiled dog today!

09/08/2024

Funny Friday!

08/08/2024

Today is International Cat Day!!
So, some fun facts about cats are required!
🐾Cats are believed to be the only mammals who don’t taste sweetness.
🐾Cats can jump up to six times their length.
🐾Cats have 230 bones.
🐾 Cats' collarbones don’t connect to their other bones.
🐾Cats have nearly twice the amount of neurons in their cerebral cortex as dogs.
🐾Male cats are more likely to be left-pawed, while female cats are more likely to be right-pawed.
🐾Most cats are actually lactose intolerant.
🐾Meowing is a behavior cats developed exclusively to communicate with people.
🐾Cats have contributed to the extinction of 33 different species!

07/08/2024

Assistance dogs can be a variety of breeds. Many of them are Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Standard Poodles, and mixed/shelter dogs.

These dogs go through extensive service dog training. Many times, it takes a couple years for a dog to be fully trained to assist a person. Once these dogs are fully trained, they are incredible at what they can do!

06/08/2024

How do vaccines work?
Vaccines contain a pathogen that is either killed or altered, creating an immune response without causing the disease. Many vaccines do not contain the entire pathogen; just parts of it can be enough for the body to create antigens for the disease.

Modified-live virus vaccines stimulate a better immune response than killed virus vaccines. This pathogen has been modified by passing through chick egg embryos or tissue cultures until it is no longer able to cause disease. This makes it so it will replicate in the body like a normal disease. If your pet is immune-comprised or pregnant, they should not receive this type of vaccine.

Recombinant or subunit vaccines take a gene or DNA fragment from the virus and insert it into another vector to replicate. These vaccines only contain part of the virus but will still be able to stimulate an immune response.

Killed (or inactive) virus vaccines contain the pathogen, but it has been inactivated by killing it with heat or chemicals so it can not cause the disease. These vaccines usually have an adjuvant included to help stimulate the immune system.

05/08/2024

Today is Work Like a Dog Day!
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think my dogs work too hard most of the time!
Post a picture of your hard-working dog!

04/08/2024

This week is International Assistance Dog Week!

There are many types of assistance dogs. Guide dogs for people with vision loss. Service dogs for people with disabilities with walking, balancing, retrieving/carrying objects, and aiding with household chores. Hearing Alert dogs for people with hearing loss. Seizure alert dogs to alert or respond to medical conditions.

03/08/2024

This month is National Immunization Awareness Month.

Vaccines are very important to keep up to date with. The greatest form of protection against many diseases is by vaccinating for them.

Puppies and kittens can start the vaccine series when they are 6 weeks old. They will need boosters every 3-4 weeks until they are 16-20 weeks old. Skipping vaccines and/or not completing the series can make them vulnerable to diseases. They will need boosters at 1 year old and then every 1-3 years after, depending on the vaccine.

If you have questions about vaccine schedules or about different vaccines, your vet or I can help answer those for you.

01/08/2024

Today is National Yorkie Day!
Post pictures of your Yorkie!

31/07/2024

Today is National Mutt Day!!
Let’s celebrate those mutts and share your pictures today!

30/07/2024

Bathing
Do you know how often you should bathe your dog? Most dogs can safely be bathed once weekly. Bathing too often can dry out their skin, removing the natural oils that keep the coat healthy and prevent dandruff.
Dogs need a shampoo specially formulated for dogs. Their skin has a different pH than people's, and human shampoo can actually be irritating to their skin. Many dog shampoos will also need to be diluted.
Before bathing, make sure you brush your dog out. If your dog has mats, they are almost impossible to remove if they get wet.
If you are using a towel to dry the dog, make sure you are not rubbing the fur, this can cause breakage and mats/tangles. You want to press and squeeze to get the towel to soak up as much water as possible.
If your dog doesn't like baths, I can help with cooperative care to train your dog to enjoy (or at least tolerate) getting a bath. Give me a call or message me today.

29/07/2024

Joint supplements can help with joint health, among other health concerns. There are so many options for joint supplements, but how do you choose?

The FDA does not review supplements, so you must be careful in what you choose; by law, the manufacturers are responsible for the label claims. If a supplement has the seal from the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), it is a quality supplement expected to guarantee what is in the bottle, its purity, strength, and composition. Other things to look for include how long the company has been in business (>10 years), Quality assurance by a 3rd party lab, Quality label (NASC), In Vivo testing, and how easy it is to administer.

Many food companies develop complete and balanced food with no need for supplements. A supplement should not be your first pick if your pet has osteoarthritis. Weight management should be the first priority; exercise and pain management are next. Omega 3 fatty acids are the best option for joint health; the best source will be found in the diet.
One of the most popular options is glucosamine/chondroitin, although some studies now show that it has low bioavailability in dogs and may not be as helpful. Some other compounds that have been shown to help to help are green-lipped mussel, eggshell membrane, UC-II, astaxanthin, movoflex, and fortetropin.
If you have questions about supplements, ask your veterinarian, or I can help answer some questions.

28/07/2024

Welcome Dave to Traveling Tails Pet Care!

Dave is a busy kitty, especially when her owner tries to trim her nails. I went over with a few tricks that I have and was able to get her pedicure done.

If you need help trimming your pets' nails, call or message me today.

28/07/2024

Cooperative Care teaches your pet to actively participate in handling and husbandry procedures. You can easily train pets to willing walk on a scale and get eye/ear medications and injections.
How do you think animals in zoos get many types of veterinary procedures? Some get sedated, but many are taught to walk on a scale, show paws/tails, stand/sit still for blood draws, and more!
If you are interested in scheduling a session for your pet, give me a call or email me today!

27/07/2024

Do you have a dog that does not like its nails trimmed despite everything?
Try a scratchboard! You can buy one or even make one yourself. It is like an emery board for your dog.
I can offer training sessions to help you and your dog get used to the board. Give me a call or message me with questions or to set up a session!

25/07/2024

Risks of spay/neuter
There are always risks associated with surgery. The surgery itself is a risk. As with any surgery, adverse reactions to anesthesia, bleeding, and infections could occur.
When removing the ovaries or te**es, you remove the hormones. This could lead to an increased risk of urinary incontinence and some types of cancer.
Pets can also become overweight after spaying/neutering. You may need to adjust their food after surgery to help prevent obesity.
Studies also show that spaying/neutering increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer), hypothyroidism, and other orthopedic disorders.