The association between Ebola and dogs has been all over the news lately. After potentially being exposed by their infected owners, a Spanish dog, Excalibur, was euthanized, while a Texas dog, Bentley, is being held in isolation at an undisclosed location. The disparate handling of these two cases raises the question — what risk do dogs really pose when it comes to the transmission of the Ebola virus?
We do know that Ebola has the ability to infect certain types of animals in addition to humans. Antibodies to the virus are widespread in African fruit bats. Many scientists think that fruit bats may be the natural hosts for Ebola since they do not appear to become sick from the virus, but they do shed it. Nonhuman primates react like people when infected with Ebola, becoming very sick and often dying. Forest antelope can also become infected. Researchers noted that during an Ebola outbreak in Gabon in 2001-2002, “unexplained deaths of animals had been mentioned in the nearby forests” and “samples taken from their carcasses [primates and antelopes] confirmed a concomitant animal epidemic.” Pigs can become infected with the “Reston” variant of Ebola, but this strain does not make people sick. Contact with fruit bats and/or wild animals hunted for food are the most likely initial sources of infection in human Ebola outbreaks. Ebola is a zoonotic disease (a disease that can be transmitted from animals to people) even though by far the most common route of transmission once an outbreak has started is person to person. All of this means that concerns about dogs living in close contact with Ebola victims are not unreasonable. In fact, research looking at the Gabon outbreak showed that approximately 25 percent of the dogs in the region had produced antibodies against the Ebola, indicating they had been exposed to the virus. This does not mean, however, that the dogs actually “had” Ebola or could transmit it to people or other animals. As the Centers for Disease Control says on its website, “At this time, there have been no reports of dogs or cats becoming sick with Ebola or of being able to spread Ebola to people or animals.” A few weeks ago, I spoke to Dr. Ronald Harty, associate professor of microbiology at Penn Vet, about his research into a potential drug to combat Ebola. I think he explains the situation best. As quoted in Delaware Online, The News Journal: “The dog's immune system reacted to the virus it came in contact with but did not replicate it," Harty said. That means the dog's body recognizes there was a threat present and created antibodies to fight it, but the virus didn't create more copies of itself and spread, as a viral infection does. "It is highly unlikely a dog, cat or any other domestic animal could contract or transmit the disease.” Because of this extremely low chance of disease transmission, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association recommends that, in cases like Excalibur’s and Bentley’s, dogs be quarantined and tested but not immediately euthanized. Kudos to the authorities in Dallas who let science rather than unfounded fear guide their decision making. Article By Dr. Coates References Ebola virus antibody prevalence in dogs and human risk. Allela L, Boury O, Pouillot R, Délicat A, Yaba P, Kumulungui B, Rouquet P, Gonzalez JP, Leroy EM. Emerg Infect Dis. 2005 Mar;11(3):385-90. Reston ebolavirus in humans and animals in the Philippines: a review. Miranda ME, Miranda NL. J Infect Dis. 2011 Nov;204 Suppl 3:S757-60. [Multiple Ebola virus haemorrhagic fever outbreaks in Gabon, from October 2001 to April 2002]. Nkoghe D, Formenty P, Leroy EM, Nnegue S, Edou SY, Ba JI, Allarangar Y, Cabore J, Bachy C, Andraghetti R, de Benoist AC, Galanis E, Rose A, Bausch D, Reynolds M, Rollin P, Choueibou C, Shongo R, Gergonne B, Koné LM, Yada A, Roth C, Mve MT. Bull Soc Pathol Exot. 2005 Sep;98(3):224-9. French.
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Eliminate the dangers of Halloween Halloween can be a festive and fun time for children and families, but what about for our pets? Yes, there are some adorable pet costumes to look forward to, but from constantly opening the door for trick-or-treaters to Halloween pranksters to all that candy lying around, there can be some hazards as well. Forgo any stressors or dangers this year by following these 10 easy tips. #10 Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets
All forms of chocolate - especially baking or dark chocolate - can be dangerous, and even lethal, for dogs and cats. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Halloween candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also be lethally poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, subsequent loss of coordination, and seizures. #9 Don't leave pets out in the yard on Halloween Surprisingly, vicious pranksters have been known to tease, injure, steal, and even kill pets on Halloween night. Inexcusable? Yes! But preventable, nonetheless. Keep your pet indoors on Halloween night. #8 Keep pets confined and away from the door Not only will your door be constantly opening and closing on Halloween, but strangers will be dressed in unusual costumes and yelling loudly for their candy. This, of course, is scary for our furry friends, who don’t know the difference between fun yelling and aggressive yelling. Dogs can be territorial and may become anxious and growl at innocent trick-or-treaters. Putting your pets in a secure room away from the front door will protect the kids, and also prevent them from darting outside into the night. #7 Keep your black cats - or any cats - indoors around Halloween Any outdoor animals can become the targets of Halloween pranksters, but black cats are especially at risk. Black cats are sometimes associated with satanic rituals and sacrifices, and cruel or naïve people may harm black cats just because of their mythical association with the Halloween holiday. In fact, many shelters are known to uphold a no black cats adoption policy during the month of October as a safety precaution. #6 Keep Halloween plants, such as pumpkins and corn, out of reach While we might not think of taking a big bite out of the jack-o-lantern or dried corn, keep in mind that they are still food, and still smell yummy to a dog. Although they are relatively nontoxic, such plants can induce gastrointestinal upset should your pets (i.e., chow-hounds) ingest them in large quantities. A dangerous intestinal blockage can even occur if large pieces are swallowed. And speaking of pumpkins... #5 Don't keep lit pumpkins or any type of fire around pets Should they get too close to the lit candle, pets run the risk of burning themselves or even knocking the candle over and causing a fire. Instead, rely on flashlights and battery operated tea-light candles to bring a glow to your jack-o-lanterns. #4 Keep your decorations safe If decorating with electrical equipment, be sure to keep the wires out of the way so your pet doesn’t get to them. Wires from lights and other decorations, if chewed, will not only be ruined but could give your pet a possibly life-threatening electrical shock. #3 Consider your pet's feelings while costume shopping If you do decide that Fido or Kitty needs a costume, make sure it isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict movement, hearing, breathing, or the ability to bark or meow. If your pet acts like he or she would rather eat the costume than wear it, it’s probably not a good idea. And always keep your outfitted pet under close supervision to prevent strangling, suffocation, or choking. #2 Try on pet costumes before the big night If your pet seems distressed, allergic, or shows any abnormal behavior while in costume, consider letting him or her go “au naturel.” Festive bandanas and ribbons can work just as well for party poopers, too. #1 IDs, Please! If your dog or cat should escape and become lost, having the proper identification will increase the chances that they will be returned. Microchips are great, but require a veterinarian with a scanner to locate the owner’s information. It is always best to use a collar with an ID tag – with up-to-date information – so that your pet can be returned most quickly. By Dr. Jennifer Coates
I just had a disturbing conversation with a neighbor about his dog Maggie. Maggie is an elderly black lab who is doing surprisingly well despite suffering from diabetes mellitus, lumbosacral stenosis (causing extreme hind end weakness), protein-losing nephropathy (a disorder that causes her to spill protein into her urine), and allergies. She also recently recovered from a nasty bout of diarrhea, which her veterinarian suspects was a result of some changes she made in Maggie’s medication protocol. My neighbor often asks for my opinion about his animals’ health, so I didn’t think anything was out of the ordinary when he stopped me as I walked past his house… until he related the following story. Maggie’s itching had recently worsened. She has never had a full work up for her chronic, intermittent itching, but all signs point to it being a seasonal allergy to something in her environment (e.g., pollen). Each summer her scratching intensifies, improves with standard, symptomatic treatment for allergies, and then fades when the cold weather returns. John told me that her itching in combination with the recent diarrhea is what sent him to the pet supply store for advice. I didn’t have the nerve to ask why he didn’t first reach out to his veterinarian. Upon his arrival at the pet store, he was approached by a “very helpful” (his words, not mine) sales associate. John described his concerns at which point the sales associate told him that Maggie had a food allergy and should be eating a “limited ingredient” dog food. John bought the food and started feeding it to Maggie that night. Thankfully, Maggie had a regular monitoring appointment scheduled later in the week. Her veterinarian checked her blood sugar level, which turned out to be dangerously high despite the fact that her diabetic control had been excellent in the past. When I replied that I wasn’t surprised Maggie’s insulin needs were very different after starting a new diet, John looked completely shocked. I proceeded to describe what a delicate balancing act diabetes management is and how a change in virtually anything (diet, exercise, insulin dose or type, health status, etc.) can upset the apple cart. Maggie’s doctor had quickly figured out what was going on and encouraged John to put Maggie back on her previous diet. It took a little while, but the old girl (the dog, not the vet) is now back to what constitutes normal for her. Maggie’s story has a happy ending, but if it didn’t, there would have been plenty of blame to go around. Her veterinarian didn’t do a good enough job educating John on the intricacies of diabetic management. John should never have listened to the advice of someone with little training in canine nutrition. The pet store employee’s misdiagnosis of a food allergy and misunderstanding of her case almost cost a beautiful dog her life. If you are responsible for feeding a dog with diabetes, or any disease for which dietary management plays a crucial role, please talk to your veterinarian before changing foods. Pet owners often complain that vets only recommend diets so they can make money off of selling them. If this is true, you shouldn’t seek dietary advice from a business that makes a much bigger percentage of its profits off pet food sales, you should look for a new vet. Dogs will tell you in subtle ways when they're not happy – do you know what the signals mean?Before a baby is born, it is imperative you learn to read your dog's body language so that you can interpret the often subtle signs that mean a dog is unhappy or uncomfortable.
"The better you become at reading your dog's body language, the better you will be at avoiding accidents," said Gina DiNardo Lash, assistant vice president of the American Kennel Club. "My main rule is to never leave a dog alone with an infant or toddler." In the meantime, it is helpful to crate-train your dog if you haven't done so already, Lash said. A crate provides a cozy and secure place for the dog to rest and take a time-out from all the new sights, sounds, and smells of the new baby. When the dog becomes uncomfortable, it will appreciate having its own special place to recuperate. Too Much of a Good Thing Many dogs will tolerate being hugged while giving very clear signals they are unhappy or uncomfortable. Often a dog will bite after giving signals that it wants the hugging to stop. Dogs don't like hugs, believe it or not," said Kellyann Conway, director of animal training and behavior for Animal Pet Video and Petfinder.com. "Dogs don't greet each other with hugs when they meet. When one dog places himself over the shoulder and neck area of another dog, he is seeking status over the dog." According to the American Kennel Club:
Interpreting Meaning Recognizing warning signs in a dog's body language will help tremendously in improving the relationship between pet and child, Lash said. While all dogs are individuals, some gestures are considered universal:
Members of the Pack Dogs may believe that children are members of the pack, and a pack leader may lean heavily on a toddler, paw at the child roughly, or hurt the child by accident. "It's important that toddlers understand the pet isn't a toy, that in fact it's very delicate," Conway said. "Make it clear there can be no tail or ear pulling, chasing, jumping on, hitting, teasing, yelling, or any other behavior that could frighten or hurt your pet." Here are some more tips for ensuring a safe interaction between pets and children:
The best dogs to be around children are those owned by responsible adults. Take the time to learn dog body language and teach your child the proper way to behave around a dog. Mars Petcare US Announces Voluntary Recall of 22 Bags of PEDIGREE® Brand Adult Complete Nutrition for Dogs Sold at Dollar General in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana Contact Consumer: 877-720-3335 Media: Erin Conn, 312-988-2214 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 26, 2014 - Today, Mars Petcare US announced a voluntary recall of 22 bags of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food products due to the possible presence of a foreign material. The bags were produced in one manufacturing facility, and shipped to one retail customer. The facility production line has been shut down until this issue is resolved. Affected bags, which were sold between August 18 and August 25 in 12 Dollar General stores* in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana, may contain small metal fragments, which could have entered the packages during the production process. The foreign material is not embedded in the food itself, but may present a risk of injury if consumed. We encourage consumers who have purchased affected product to discard the food or return it to the retailer for a full refund or exchange. We have not received any reports of injury or illness associated with the affected product. The lot codes indicated below should not be sold or consumed. Mars Petcare US is working with Dollar General to ensure that the recalled products are no longer sold and are removed from inventory. Recalled Pet Food Only 15-pound bags of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food sold at Dollar General in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana with the production code shown below are included in this voluntary recall. Each product will have a lot code printed on the back of the bag near the UPC code that reads 432C1KKM03 and a Best Before date of 8/5/15. No other PEDIGREE® products are affected, including any other variety of dry dog food, wet dog food or dog treats. UPCDESCRIPTION23100 10944PEDIGREE® Brand Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food in 15 pound bags At Mars Petcare US, we take our responsibility to pets and their owners seriously. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by this recall. Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-800-305-5206 or visit www.pedigree.com/update *Affected product would only have been sold in Dollar General Stores in these cities:
RSS Feed for FDA Recalls Information [what's this?] Photo: Product Labels Recalled Product Photos Are Also Available on FDA's Flickr Photostream. Dropping to the ground is "a play solicitation,” says Sharon Crowell-Davis, DVM, DACVB, who specializes in pet behavior and is a professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia. Dogs use body language, including several play solicitations, to communicate their intentions.
“One of [these solicitations] is to just drop to the ground, and one of them is what we call a play bow where the fore quarters go down and the hind quarters are sticking up in the air,” explains Dr. Crowell-Davis. “Another is to raise one fore paw either while standing up or in the play bow, and wave it at the other dog — those are all forms of inviting the other dog to play.” Learning to Socialize Problems can arise when another dog doesn’t recognize the meaning behind the gesture. “Both dogs and cats are social species, and this means they’re born with the capacity to learn the appropriate species-specific social behavior and appropriate social responses of their species, but they’re not born knowing all of it,” says Dr. Crowell-Davis. Due to this learning curve, Dr. Crowell-Davis stresses the importance of puppy socialization classes and ensuring that your puppy has pleasant experiences with others of its species early and often. A dog that lacks significant social experiences may be clueless about what a play bow means and could respond with fear, and may even attack the dog that has performed the play solicitation. “But if you have dogs that have grown up with other dogs and have learned dog signaling, dog language and dog etiquette (a dog knowing that if one dog does this, I’m supposed to respond that way), then when one dog does a play solicitation, the other dog would know to play back if they feel like playing.” Or, she adds, maybe the dog doesn't feel like playing, in which case he’ll ignore the play bow or just lie down. Another potential source of conflict arises when, for example, there is a juvenile dog in the house who likes to play a lot and an older dog who’s fine playing sometimes but not always. “We might have the younger dog coming up and soliciting the older dog, and sometimes the older dog will play and other times it’ll just stare," says Dr. Crowell-Davis. "The younger dog has to learn to back off.” WASHINGTON, (AFP) - Dogs show jealousy when their owners spend time with what appears to be another dog, suggesting that the emotion may have survivalist roots, US researchers said Wednesday.
Scientists tested 36 dogs and their owners with an experiment in which the owners were told to play with three separate objects in front of their dog. One of the objects was a toy dog that barked and wagged its tail when a button on it was pushed. The owners were told to play with it as if it were a real dog for one minute. They were told to do the same in the next phase of the experiment with a toy jack-o-lantern pail, acting as if it were a dog and playing with it. Finally, they were asked to read aloud a pop-up children's book that played a song, as if they were telling the story to a small child. Certain dog behaviors were much more common when owners played with the toy dog versus the other objects, the researchers found. For instance, dogs more often snapped, pushed their owners, pushed against the object and tried to get in between the owner and the toy dog than they did with the other toys. The dogs were about twice as likely to push their owner (78 percent of dogs did this) when he or she was playing with the toy dog than when the interaction involved the jack-o-lantern (42 percent). Just 22 percent did so with the book. About 30 percent of the dogs tried to get between their owner and the toy dog, and 25 percent snapped at the stuffed canine. The dogs came from a range of breeds, including dachshund, Pomeranian,Boston terrier, Maltese and pug. Almost half of those in the study were mixed breeds. The research, led by Christine Harris and Caroline Prouvost from the University of California, San Diego, is published in the journal PLOS ONE. "Our study suggests not only that dogs do engage in what appear to be jealous behaviors but also that they were seeking to break up the connection between the owner and a seeming rival," Harris said. "We can't really speak to the dogs' subjective experiences, of course, but it looks as though they were motivated to protect an important social relationship." Are Pain Meds for Dogs Safe?
Knowing that a dog is in pain is upsetting. So it's an understandable reaction to want to do something — anything — to provide the dog pain relief as soon as possible. However, as tempting as it may be to reach for an over-the-counter pain meds such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen and give it to the family dog, you must avoid them at all costs. Over-the-counter pain meds and anti-inflammatories can be very dangerous, even fatal, when used improperly in dogs. Are NSAIDs Dangerous for Dogs?Some of the most common over-the-counter pain relievers fall into the category of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). Common examples include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. They all work by inhibiting an enzyme called cyclooxygenase that is responsible for the production of prostaglandins that promote inflammation,fever, and pain. But prostaglandins also play many other roles in the body, including maintaining adequate blood flow to the kidneys, the production of a layer of mucusthat protects the inner lining of the gastrointestinal tract from stomach acid, and normal blood clotting. When these functions are reduced, dogs can develop vomiting and diarrhea (often bloody), loss of appetite, bleeding disorders, kidney or liver dysfunction or failure. They may even die without appropriate treatment. Problems can arise with NSAID use in dogs for several reasons:
What About Tylenol for Dogs?Acetaminophen (Tylenol) presents a slightly different story. Acetaminophen is not an NSAID. No one is exactly sure how it works to reduce pain and fever (it has no effect on inflammation), but when dogs ingest toxic amounts of acetaminophen, it destroys their liver cells, damages the kidneys, and converts hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying molecule in blood, to methemoglobin resulting poor oxygen delivery throughout the body and tissue damage. (NOTE: Cats are so sensitive to the adverse effects of acetaminophen that just one, regular strength tablet can result in death.) Ask Your Vet About Pain Meds for Dogs and Other Pain Relief MeasuresFor all of these reasons, NSAIDS and other pain relievers should only be given to pets under the supervision of a veterinarian. Drug companies have designed specific pain meds for dogs that are safer and more effective than those that are designed for people. Examples of pain meds for dogs include carprofen, deracoxib, etodolac, and meloxicam. With knowledge of the specifics of a dog’s health history, the doctor can determine which medication and dose is most appropriate and design a plan for monitoring that will make treatment as safe as possible. Medications are not the only way to provide dog pain relief, however. Chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis often respond well to dietary modification. For example, foods that are supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids like eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) can reduce joint inflammation and the pain associated with it. Also, overweight dogs benefit greatly from a weight loss plan that includes both diet and exercise. Foods with a lower caloric density but normal amounts of protein can help dogs lose weight while maintaining muscle mass and strength. Reducing body fat and promoting lean body mass decreases stress on joints and inflammation throughout the body. The combination of a good diet and weight loss will often lessen if not completely eliminate the need for pain meds for dogs suffering from chronic conditions like arthritis. More severe cases can also benefit from physical therapy, acupuncture, coldlaser treatments, and other interventions. Talk to your veterinarian to determine what combination of diet, exercise, pain meds, and other treatments is right for your dog. While dog might be man’s best friend, that puddle on the floor sure isn’t. If your new housebroken puppy or rescued dog occasionally pees on the floor for no fathomable reason, then you might have a dog with submissive/excitement urination issues.So what should you do if you think you have a dog with an excitement or submissive peeing problem? First off, take your dog to the vet to rule out other reasons for the inappropriate peeing. If you receive the all clear from your vet, how do you know which problem your dog has?
If your pooch doesn’t pee when you’re in a dominant position (i.e., looking your dog directly in the eye, bending from the waist, greeting your dog face on), then chances are your dog is suffering from an excitement issue. If the dog does pee when you arrive home, when you’re in a dominant position, or when it is in trouble, then it’s probably a submissive issue. Either way, the situation can be remedied. Submissive Peeing Submissive dogs pee when they are greeted, when someone approaches, when they are punished, and when there is a history of rough treatment or punishment after peeing; this is common in rescued dogs. This is also a common reaction with shy, anxious, and timid dogs. To fix this problem, avoid scolding or yelling at your dog after it has peed. Instead, try building its confidence by teaching it simple commands (sit, stay, come), and reward your dog after each success. The same applies with teaching simple tricks (roll over, fetch); go with the reward and praise route. You will also want to approach your dog in non-dominant postures. Avoid direct eye contact, approach from the side, and crouch down to your dog's level. When patting your pooch, go for under the chin rather than the top of the head. Keep all greetings low key, and when the dog does pee, simply clean it up without fuss and go away. Do not forget to reward and praise your pup when it pees in the appropriate place. Excitement Peeing The good news for you is this usually happens to puppies under one year of age, and they will usually grow out of it. The bad news is it’s not going to happen overnight. These are the dogs that pee while playing, when you come home, or when people visit. To help your puppy with this issue (and save that very expensive rug you just bought), try keeping all playtime outside, or on a specially prepared area of newspaper and puppy pads. This way, if there is a little accident due to over-excitement, it doesn't have to be a big deal. When there is an accident, just as with submissive peeing, do not reprimand or punish your pup. Simply clean it up quietly and leave the puppy (or dog, if this is happening with an older dog) alone. Give your puppy treats when it pees in the correct place, and keep all greetings to a minimum. You may even want to ignore the dog when you arrive home. Does this seem cruel? It's not really, as it gives your pooch a chance to calm down on its own. Ask guests to do the same. When the dog pees while out on walks, give it praise and treats. The same goes for when the dog pees in designated areas (which is not the rug or the designer bedspread). All these things should not only help your pooch break its habit of peeing when excited, but will also help you to cultivate a calmer, more confident dog. So good luck with your dog. And remember, patience and perseverance will always pay off. Before setting off on that island getaway or action-packed tour, there’s still one big question that all pet parents must consider before saying bon voyage: Who’ll watch your pets?
As the pet population and spending continues to grow, dog owners have more options for vacation care than ever. According to the American Pet Products Association, U.S. pet industry spending reached around $51 billion in 2011. The number of insured pet-sitter business is already at 10K nationally, and from 2010 to 2020 the number of animal care and service workers is expected to grow by 23%. So if your go-to move is usually traditional kennel boarding, it may be time to consider another option — in-home boarding. WHAT IS IN-HOME PET BOARDING?In-home boarding works like this: Pet owners search for a registered home nearby, namely through national website services catering to this need. It’s 24-hour care in the hands of trusted professional for an affordable rate. Most in-home boarding sites are free to browse, and they perform background checks on canine hosts to ensure they are qualified to watch your dog. When a pet owner finds a sitter or host that’s a match, they work with the service to connect with sitter and ensure that the potential dog watcher is a good fit for Fido, based on location, personality and daily routine. Payment is worked out through the service, and the pet parent brings the pooch over to the host’s house before they leave for vacation. In-home pet boarding services offer dogs individual attention, regular walks, trips to the park, and the opportunity to socialize with other dogs in the household. They can also keep up with your pet’s regular routine — including eating schedules, bathroom breaks, grooming necessities, and daily exercise requirements — so your pooch has less anxiety while you’re away. If your pup isn’t the easiest to handle, you can even opt for in-home pet boarding with a professional trainer! A number of national websites, such as DogVacay.com and Sleepover Rover, are culling perfect environments for pet owners to search for in-home pet sitters. DogVacay.com, founded by Aaron Hirschhorn and his wife, was born after the two experienced firsthand the stresses of finding trustworthy sitters at affordable rates for their two dogs. “DogVacay’s sitters offer in-home care, and most charge less than $25 per night,” says co-founder and CEO Hirschhorn. Kennels, he notes, can be anywhere from $35-$70 per night, depending on location. While price is certainly a consideration, how your dog will be cared for while you’re away is paramount. One DogVacay online reviewer (out of thousands of satisfied customers), Ethan C., said that his dogs “...who usually hate boarding of any kind (and make us feel horribly guilty about leaving them) came back exhausted from their play and walks, and looked at us as though we'd taken them away from a romping good time.” Hirschhorn adds that DogVacay isn’t just about connecting owners and sitters, but also ensuring quality through pet sitter reference checks, reviews, phone interviews, online training, and insurance policies (for both pet sitters and pooches). “During the pet owners’ time away, we also provide them with a daily email updates that include a picture of their dog,” says Hirschhorn. The in-home dog boarding service also provides a no cost, no obligation meet and greet for the pet and potential sitter to see if it will be a good fit. QUESTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT IN-HOME BOARDING PET SITTERS When deciding upon the in-home boarding spot right for your dog, Hirschhorn says some of the most important considerations are getting a feel for the environment and a sense of how your dog and the sitter get along. Keep these questions and consideration in mind when meeting with any potential pet sitter: 1. Is the pet sitter’s home clean and safe? Before you head out to tropical paradise, head over to the facility that you’re considering to confirm your pet will be placed in a pet friendly, secure home. 2. Are the pet-watchers/homeowners responsible and reliable? The same way that you would consider whether or not a family member or friend could do the job of watching your pet, do your due diligence on the in-home boarding homeowners. Read other customer reviews, and ask specific questions about their pet experience and daily routine. 3. Are there other pets in the house? If so, how many, and what types? If your dog loves to play with other dogs, consider whether this household is home to small pets or large dogs which may frighten your pet. Also consider if there are any other animals, such as cats, present in the household. 4. What’s the daily routine? If your pooch needs his pill at a certain time of day, or likes to go on long walks in the morning, be sure that the in-home boarding care will be accommodating. Consider feeding, medication, physical needs and hygienic needs (baths or teeth-brushing) when you ask about the schedule. 5. Provide full disclosure. In addition to interviewing the in-home dog sitter, providing an out-of-town contact number and asking about the nearest animal hospital, it’s a pet parent’s job to be open and transparent about a pet’s needs, says Hirschhorn. Share as much info about your pet’s personality, needs and medical history as possible to ensure your pet has a fabulous time on his vacation! |
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