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While You're Away
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News and Tips Jacksonville FL Pet Sitting, Pet Boarding, Elder Companion Care
News & Tips...
Top 10 Tips for Safe Air Travel with Your Pet
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/air-travel-tips.html

Traveling can be highly stressful, both for you and the four-legged members of your family. But with thoughtful preparation, you can ensure a safe and comfortable trip for everyone.

The ASPCA urges pet owners to think twice about flying their pets on commercial airlines, especially if they plan on checking them in as cargo.
Unless your animal is small enough to fit under your seat and you can bring him or her in the cabin, the ASPCA recommends pet owners to not fly their animal. If pet owners have
already committed to transporting their pets on commercial airlines, the ASPCA is offering the following top ten tips for safe air travel with your pet:

  1. Make an appointment with your pet's veterinarian for a checkup, and make sure all vaccinations are up-to-date. Obtain a health certificate from your veterinarian dated within 10
    days of departure. For travel outside of the continental United States, additional planning and health care requirements may be necessary. Contact the foreign office of the
    country you are traveling to for more information.
  2. Make sure your pet has a microchip for identification and is wearing a collar and ID tag. Breakaway collars are best for cats. The collar should also include destination
    information in case your pet escapes.
  3. Book a direct flight whenever possible. This will decrease the chances that your pet is left on the tarmac during extreme weather conditions or mishandled by baggage
    personnel.
  4. Purchase a USDA-approved shipping crate that is large enough for your pet to stand, sit and turn around in comfortably. Shipping crates can be purchased from many pet
    supply stores and airlines.
  5. Write the words "Live Animal" in letters at least one inch tall on top of and at least one side of the crate. Use arrows to prominently indicate the upright position of the crate. On
    the top of the crate, write the name, address and telephone number of your pet's destination point, and whether you will be accompanying him or if someone else is picking him
    up. Make sure that the door is securely closed, but not locked, so that airline personnel can open it in case of an emergency. Line the crate bottom with some type of bedding—
    shredded paper or towels— to absorb accidents.
  6. Affix a current photograph of your pet to the top of the crate for identification purposes. Should your pet escape from the carrier, this could be a lifesaver. You should also carry a
    photograph of your pet.
  7. The night before you leave, make sure you’ve frozen a small dish or tray of water for your pet. This way, it can’t spill during loading, and will melt by the time he’s thirsty. Tape a
    small pouch, preferably cloth, of dried food outside the crate. Airline personnel will be able to feed your pet in case he gets hungry on long-distance flights or a layover.
  8. Tranquilizing your pet is generally not recommended, as it could hamper his breathing. Check with your veterinarian first.
  9. Tell every airline employee you encounter, on the ground and in the air, that you are traveling with a pet in the cargo hold. This way, they’ll be ready if any additional
    considerations or attention is needed.
  10. If the plane is delayed, or if you have any concerns about the welfare of your pet, insist that airline personnel check the animal whenever feasible. In certain situations, removing
    the animal from the cargo hold and deplaneing may be warranted.
Feeding Older Dogs
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/feeding-older-dogs.html
Dogs begin to show visible age-related changes at about seven to twelve years of age. There are metabolic, immunologic and body composition changes, too. Some of these are
unavoidable. Others can be managed with diet.

  • Since smaller dogs live longer and don't experience age-related changes as early as bigger dogs, size is used to determine when it’s time to feed your canine a senior diet:
  • Small breeds/dogs weighing less than 20 pounds—7 years of age
  • Medium breeds/dogs weighing 21 to 50 pounds—7 years of age
  • Large breeds/dogs weighing 51 to 90 pounds—6 years of age
  • Giant breeds/dogs weighing 91 pounds or more—5 years of age
  • The main objectives in the feeding an older dog should be to maintain health and optimum body weight, slow or prevent the development of chronic disease, and minimize or
    improve clinical signs of diseases that may already be present.
  • As a dog ages, health issues may arise, including:
  • deterioration of skin and coat
  • loss of muscle mass
  • more frequent intestinal problems
  • arthritis
  • obesity
  • dental problems
  • decreased ability to fight off infection
  • Older dogs have been shown to progressively put on body fat in spite of consuming fewer calories. This change in body composition is inevitable and may be aggravated by
    either reduced energy expenditure or a change in metabolic rate. Either way, it is important to feed a diet with a lower caloric density to avoid weight gain, but with a normal
    protein level to help maintain muscle mass.
  • Avoid "senior" diets that have reduced levels of protein. Studies have shown that the protein requirement for older dogs does not decrease with age, and that protein levels do
    not contribute to the development or progression of renal failure. It is important to feed older dogs diets that contain optimum levels of highly digestible protein to help maintain
    good muscle mass.
  • Talk to your veterinarian about increasing your senior dogs GLA intake. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid that plays a role in the maintenance of healthy skin
    and coat. Although it is normally produced in a dog's liver, GLA levels may be diminished in older dogs. Does your older dog’s diet contain GLA?
  • Aging can affect a dog’s intestinal bacteria, which can result in symptoms of gastrointestinal disease. Senior diets for dogs should contain FOS (fructooligosaccharides) to
    promote the growth of beneficial bacteria.
  • Antioxidants such as vitamin E and beta-carotene help eliminate free radical particles that can damage body tissues and cause signs of aging. Senior diets for dogs should
    contain higher levels of these antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants can also increase the effectiveness of the immune system in senior dogs.
  • Routine care for geriatric pets should involve a consistent daily routine and periodic veterinary examinations to assess the presence or progress of chronic disease. Stressful
    situations and abrupt changes in daily routines should be avoided. If a drastic change must be made to an older pet's routine, try  to minimize stress and to realize the change
    in a gradual manner.
Tips For Overcoming Separation Anxiety
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/overcoming-separation-anxiety.html

For many dogs, even the slightest change in daily routines can be upsetting. In response, poor Fido may start acting disruptive or destructive, especially when left home alone. He may
resort to urinating and defecating indoors, howling, chewing, pacing or trying to escape from the house or yard. When these issues are accompanied by signs of panic, distress or
depression, they may indicate your pooch suffers from separation anxiety.

But don’t fear—we’re here to help! When treating a dog with separation anxiety, the goal is to resolve the underlying issue by teaching him to enjoy—or at least tolerate—being left
alone. Our experts have put together a list of top tips for helping your pooch overcome separation anxiety.

  • Doctor Knows Best: The first step in tackling behavior issues is to rule out any underlying medical problems that might be causing your pet’s behavior. For example, if your pet
    is urinating in the house, he might be suffering from a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, diabetes or kidney disease—all of which can cause urinary incontinence in dogs.
  • Conquer Fear: If your pooch suffers mild separation anxiety, counter conditioning—or helping your dog associate being alone with something good, like a tasty treat—might
    reduce or resolve the problem. To develop this kind of association, offer your dog a food-dispensing toy  every time you leave the house.
  • Dogs Need Jobs: Providing lots of physical and mental stimulation is a vital part of treating many behavior problems, especially those involving anxiety. Exercise can enrich your
    dog’s life, decrease stress and provide appropriate outlets for normal behavior. Plus, a tired dog doesn’t have much excess energy to burn when he’s left alone!
  • Prepare for Departure: Many dogs know when you’re about to leave the house and will get anxious or prevent your departure altogether. One way to tackle “predeparture
    anxiety” is to teach your dog that when you pick up your keys or put on your coat, it doesn’t always mean you’re leaving. For example, put on your boots and coat, and then just sit
    down and watch TV instead of leaving.
  • Take Baby Steps: If your dog’s anxiety falls more on the severe side of things, try getting your pooch used to being alone by starting small or “desensitizing” him to the cause of
    his fear. Begin by introducing several short periods of separation that don’t produce anxiety, and then gradually increase time spent apart over the course of a few weeks.
  • Together We Stand: Any treatment for separation anxiety requires that your dog never experiences the full-blown version of whatever provokes his anxiety or fear. Avoid leaving
    your dog alone except during desensitization sessions. If possible, take your dog to work or arrange for a family member or dog sitter to come to your home during the day.
  • Keep it Mellow: All greetings—hellos and goodbyes—should be conducted in a very calm manner. When saying goodbye, just give your dog a pat on the head, say goodbye
    and leave. Similarly, when arriving home, say hello to your dog and then don’t pay any more attention to him until he’s calm and relaxed.
  • Say No to Tough Love: Anxious behaviors are not the result of disobedience or spite, so please don’t scold or punish your dog if he doesn’t overcome his fear quickly. If you
    punish him, he may become even more upset and the problem could get worse. Be patient, and work with your pet until he feels comfortable and enjoys spending time alone.
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We recommend you follow us on Twitter or Facebook.  We are streamlining and consolidating our knowledge and information
sharing process to these social networks to make it simpler and easier for everyone to communicate.  Our Twitter and Facebook
accounts are actively managed and communication via these will be responded to within 24 hours.
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