Traveling With Your Pet. The Worst Scenario Guidebook

Back at home!

As much as I love to get a few days away, meet fellow pet enthusiasts, (put exceedingly mildly), and learn about new emerging facets of the social media world, I love, love, LOVE coming home!

Many of the attendees bring a big piece of their home with them. Wrapped in a snuggy tied to their chest, or zipped into a mosquito mesh swathed stroller, or trotting alongside on a leash (often bedazzled with their name).

But for us our pets remain safely, calmly, and repeatedly at home.

There are reasons. Many of them over-thought out, obsessively dissected, and always based on my ever present medically based "worst case scenario" methodology of navigating through life.

Let me explain; I am a scientifically medically trained being. My job is to use my education, both taught and learned, to help identify a cause and thus be able to next provide a treatment plan. This is not a smooth linear road. When I meet a patient and I start the discovery process of trying to identify a diagnosis, I have to think on a linear scale. That pendulum of decision is a fluttering, wavering, oscillating, point. It is influenced by clients. Their willingness to participate and the latitude provided to try to gather clues along the diagnosis path. At every step I have to be prepared for a stop sign to be flashed. Sometimes because our patient is running out of time, or because our clients are depleting resources. Because of this constant unsettling reality I also have to be prepared for "worst case scenario" at every moment.

Why "worst case scenario?" Well, we are talking about disease and liability.

There are diseases that can kill, both my patient, my client, my staff, and myself. (There's a serious slap of reality to wake you up).

Liability. Oh, there's a can of worms to keep your toes out of. You can be sued, reprimanded, or cornered to a place where you willingly jump overboard to save yourself any further repeated abuse and burn out.

This is how I am wired. I have seen worst case scenarios enough times to have had my behaviors and actions influenced by them.

If we were discussing it with our parents we might call it "paranoia," and oddly for as often as I fend off the labels that paint me in an aging light, I choose to stick to "better safe than sorry" adage.

In my twenties and thirties the dogs followed me wherever I went. They were my kids, my status, and my security blanket/stuffed animal pacifiers.

But, in my forties I have decided to take a more scientific, less self-centered approach to their traveling.

Here's what I discovered with my pets;

• Any longer than 24 hours of a change in surroundings and Charleston starts with diarrhea.
• Any small opportunity for Jekyll to meet a friend and he takes full advantage. He will cross busy roads, run in front of traffic, it doesn't matter. If there is a person he thinks he can befriend he is off to meet them. (Worse yet, I hate to squelch his charming demeanor. I mean how many of us ALWAYS see the glass half full and LOVE every single being unconditionally?).
• Savannah, my 18 year old girl. She deserves a quiet, calm life, and she flourishes if I provide it.

Now, I have never adopted an carry-on sized pets. And I know that many peoples pets are an accessory extension. If I had a pet that fit in my purse, and if I had conditioned them to always be on my hip to the point that it was detrimental to their overall mental health if they were not, than I would perhaps be bringing them with me more often. 

But I still live in "worst case scenario-ville." And traveling with a pet leaves you open to all sorts of scenarios. 

IF you do decide to bring your pet with you here's what you should have:

1. All of your pets vaccine and all current pertinent medical records. (Hint, many veterinarians now allow you to have online access to your pets records so you never need hard copies. Ask them about this. At our clinic we use Petly.)
2. Have your vet help you pack an emergency AND travel kit. This might include any current or past prescription drugs, anti-histamines, pain medications, steroids, e-collar, shampoo, and even prescription food.

Here's what I witnessed at the pet expo I attended this past weekend;

A perfectly content dog around the attendees snapped the second she saw a chocolate lab and lunged for her through a large group of people. If there hadn't been so many people between her and the brown lab she would have reached her and bitten. What did the handlers do? They acted dumb-founded, put her back behind their table and went back to their meet and greet duties.

What should they have done? Gotten that dog out of that expo. Immediately. Why? Because worst case scenario is going to happen. That female aggressor, sadly a pit bull. Her biting someone is going to add fuel to an already inferno sized debate.

What else did I see?

A very sweet completely (normal) obsessed beagle trying to abscond every morsel of food around. It was a pet expo, there was a Viking sized buffet at every turn. By day number two she had generalized abdominal pain. My presumptive diagnosis? pancreatitis. Her worst case scenario, a very expensive treatment plan that she may or may not live through. When I talked to her mom about whether she had offered any treats, or had had a change in diet I got a recited list of every treat from every vendor present. That beagle had been on a 24 test tasting binge. Her rule out list was a whole lot longer than it should have been. When we talked about whether she had packed any pain medications for her pup, she replied "Tylenol." (Argh!)

What do I think? 

I think that lots and lots of pets are not up to date on vaccines (I know this, I own a veterinary clinic, I am told it every single day), and I think lots of people think their dog is perfectly harmless (and they are with their parent), but they are not completely in tune with their pet and they miss signs that their pet is anxious, or fearful, or about to pick a fight. 

How do I plan for a get-away AND take the best care of my pets that is possible? I have an extended family. My pet sitter and my vet clinic. They are the most vital people to my being able to take excellent care of my pets. 

My advice to you. Be a part of your veterinarians family. We each need each other. It is an open honest relationship. If you are going away and leaving your pets behind call your vet, tell them, and leave some guidance about what you would want them to do if "worst case scenario" happens. Even offer to leave a credit card on file just in case.

OK, I realize we all love our pets, and I also realize that in many cases we are proud and want to show them off. But our primary responsibility as a parent is to be self-less. To protect them and to teach them. But never to put them in a place that might make them sick, or injured, or overwhelm them.

I leave my pets at home.

And when I get home, they treat me to a licker-tape parade. I am a rock star for a whole 12 hours! It is awesome! And me, I have no diarrhea to clean up, no uncertainties about their break from their over bearing mother, and a pet sitter who got to spend a few days in my home with my pets as an extended family member who helps me take care of mine.

If you have any questions about this, or anything else pet related ask me at Pawly or on Twitter @Pawbly.

Bark World 2013, Day 2

One of my all time favorite pet celebrities, Victoria Stilwell of  Its Me Or The Dog at her book signing and lecture about using positive training techniques.     

The start of day 2;
Breakfast with the power cat bloggers and a few of our favorite pooches.

Preston, of Preston Speaks blog stares down a plate of eggs and bacon.

Kona

Sophia Lauren.

Breakfast with bloggers and brands, and more free snacks!

Natural Balance hosted a scrumptious breakfast! A meet and greet with many of the cat lovers, cat influencers, and those of us who post our stories about our feline friends.

Natural Balance is a premium pet food that has been around for decades (ask how many of the smaller premium brands can say that?) Having a history and track record is super important for those of us who do not like to be a guinea pig, and are a bit hesitant in this age of recalls, pet health scares, and deaths by ingestion of hidden toxic ingredients.


Meeting the sponsors, more free stuff (yippee!!) and swapping pet stories, experiences, and
networking.

At the opening ceremony we were introduced to Petco Unleashed, their motto and mission; 

"As pet stores go, we’re anything but ordinary. Unleashed by Petco hit the pet scene in 2009, with our first store in San Diego’s Hillcrest neighborhood. Our concept is simple – provide the same knowledge and know-how offered by Petco in a unique, smaller package."

Matt Silverman, from uber-successful Mashable and Fluffington Post, also spoke on his interest and early beginnings with social media. His keynote address was on "How To Make Your Content More Social."

The origin of the Fluffington Post was a series of successful "cute" posts that delivered traffic to a relatively unknown and unintended source of random pet articles, stories, and jokes.

His suggestions for creating awesome content for the web;

• Think about how we consume content
• Think about how we create networks that are off the map. In other words we need to live there and be a part of the culture.
• By using good humor, and remember that cute animals power the internet.
• Your targets; the first audience;loves satire, helps to connect w the media elite,
• The second audience, those who love dogs and cats, and share w others, via FB, etc
• quick wit, humor, and short, succinct, light-hearted humor to bring all of us into a shared moment.
• Some of his personal favorite headers;
• "12 weird free items on craigslist"
• "10 cats clearly plotting to kill their owners"
• "you'll find these 14 types of parent on FB"
• Other ways to grab people is to be timely. This makes content more pertinent to whats going on in the world
• "New leaked NSA docs reveal kitten snooping program" 
• "Kitten faces lifetime ban for cuteness enhancing drugs"

Doggie daycare...

"Hello!, Grab treats, I'll bust the lock and meet you at the coffee lounge!"

And even cat grooming!

Now that's the whole pet-enchilada!

"Pet me, go ahead, I dare you. No, I double dog dare you."

Tagapet. $19.95 one time fee for a scanable pet id collar.

Afternoon Key Note Speaker; Victoria Stilwell, of It's Me Or The Dog, on Animal Planet.

Discussing her book, "Train Your Dog Positively."

One of the best parts of a Victoria Stilwell event is meeting her.
She is a kind, generous, gentle, humble soul.
She is as wonderful in person as she is on her show.
If you ever get an opportunity to see, or meet her, do.
She's worth it.

The captive Pawbly audience.

Here are some of Victoria's take home messages;

• Positive training is all about fostering the bond between an animal and people, (I think I created this slogan, I did!), and to educate us all so that we can live in harmony.
• Her slogan, "I want the dog to do things with me because she wants to..versus because she fears something if she doesn't. 
• Do this by encouraging the dog to learn.
• Why is it so important? Because over 800, 000 people are bitten every year. Most of them are children.
• Her key ingredients to success;
• Innovation through powerful partnerships.
• Building the Right Team
• Broad Platforms. Spread out into places you believe in.
• Lastly, pay it forward.

Victoria also promoted the following dog products;

• iCalmDog. This little that sound therapy is powerful. She uses it to help keep dogs calm in all situations. 
• dogtv. Provides exposure to sounds to help condition them to acclimate to sounds that might otherwise cause them anxiety. Works great for separation anxiety.
• dogntion.com. How does your dog think?  These are science based games. This site is especially designed for your dog.

And her last take home message to us; Kindness is powerful, and remember to Do No Harm. I just love her. She inspires me and motivates me to be a better person and the person my pets want me to be.

Stay tuned for Day 3...then back to be with my own babies..

If  your pet is in one of these photos and I did not provide their name, blog, or information on them, and you would like me to add it please email me and I will happily include it.

Thank you to everyone who participated in Bark World. It is the realization of a personal dream to see so many dedicated passionate pet people gather to promote responsible pet care.

BarkWorld 2013, Day 1

These two were in front of us at the BWI airport in the security line. As I squatted to say "hello" I was told, that they are "service dogs".  "Ooops," I remembered my manners and  quickly retracted...

The first dog I met...I'm still not sure he's proud of his up-do, but he was the center of attention where where he went.

This little one was baffled by all of the lights, music, and festivities so she stayed close to mom who is a friend of a local Atlanta rescue coordinator.

This is the snack bar at the opening night social. Seriously a trough of treats..if Jekyll knew I was here and he wasn't he would be expecting a very large doggie bag..

Lulu,, of Life With Beagle...she was in search of a stray swag bag of goodies..

This little one is Windy..she spent the whole night safely in her moms arms..The consistent accessory of the day, a dog, of course.

The Pawbly group.

Yes,,this is a dance floor and, Yes, there are dogs at this disco..

Of course they have matching outfits.

The end of a long day 1.

If your pet is featured here and you would like me to add their name, or a link to any of their sites, please email, or comment. I would be happy to add it. 

Thank you to all of the attendees, staff, and supporters who help make Bark World happen.

It is the most amazing parade of devoted pet lovers to see and be a part of. I am inspired by you all everyday, and I am grateful to have a place to find so many others who feel as passionately about their pets as I do.

Find me +Krista Magnifico, and Pawbly. 

Those Tests We Run, Just To Confuse You..

Veterinary medicine is an ever evolving science. Seems the more we dig for medical cures, breakthroughs, and advancements the more we feel like we are still just hitting the tip of the iceberg. It can be incredibly overwhelming, frustrating, and confusing. I get it, I really do.

One of the things I love about Pawbly is that it is a place for anyone to go and seek answers and help. It is a way for the world to join together to help pets. But, we all need to remember that nothing surpasses the relationship and importance of having your own personal vet. But all of us vets utilize and require a network of people to help advise us. It is one big giant intricate web of people helping people take care of pets.

When I get asked about something that is not universally accepted as the "correct standard of care" I don't always know what to say? How do I stay respectful to my colleagues, and honest with a person? It can be a fine line of dancing and tip-toeing and tryng to NOT sound elusive.

Here is the question I got today:

"My 13 year old mixed Lab was recently diagnosed with ehrlichiosis through a blood test. I have gotten some conflicting information through my local animal hospital and my own research, so I thought I'd try you guys. My dog shows none of the symptoms of ehrlichiosis but the vet has prescribed a 60 day course of 250 mg of doxycycline to treat it. This is about $400 worth of pills at my local pharmacy. Are there other treatment options and does my dog even need treatment if he has no symptoms?
Thanks,"

Here is my answer:

Of all the questions to ask!! This is a doozie...primarily because there is heated debate on why we use this test, and what to do about it if you get a positive test in an asymptomatic dog...

In the interest of maintaining my "always be honest" viewpoint, and my ever present belief that it is not my place to be second guessing a fellow colleague, I will try to provide a basic overview of the discussion that I have with my clients when a situation like yours arises.

I am assuming that your vet used an in house 3 or 4 DX snap test..these are used to screen for Lyme, Erhlichia, and heartworm disease (or Anaplasmosis), but they cannot tell you whether the disease is acute, chronic, active, or passive. Lots and lots of dogs have been exposed to these tick borne disease, and hence show up positive on our in house snap test. They cannot, however, tell you what the dog tells you, that they have been exposed but are not sick. In other words if they are displaying clinical signs.

For some of these positive tests we use a titer to decide whether or not to treat. This is something that you can discuss with your veterinarian.

Also, I am assuming that your veterinarian was prescribing doxycycline, which for some reason that totally baffles me has been on short supply, and hence ridiculously priced..there are cheaper options, but this is also something to discuss with your vet. We use a compounding pharmacy to help keep the cost affordable.

At my clinic, with an asymptomatic dog, I would recommend a CBC, Chemistry, and urinalysis. If they were all normal and your dog was asymptomatic we may decide that treatment is not warranted. I also remind my clients that it is imperative to protect your pets against any and all tick borne diseases by using a reputable effective flea and tick preventative.

I hope this helps, and I would encourage you to go back to your vet and discuss all possible treatment options and affordability.

Best of Luck,

Krista

My tribe, all on monthly flea & tick prevention and
all vaccinated yearly for Lyme disease because we live in the woods,
in the Mid-Atlantic states where Lyme is a prevalent part of life.

Wordless Wednesday; My Babies, A Baby Shower, and the Clients We Met This Week

My babies, AKA bookends, Wren and Magpie.

My babies;

Wren and Joe, Sleep In Sunday.

Cuddlebugs, Wren and Oriole.

Oriole, keeping the half of the couch under close supervision.

Magpie in her bed (absconded from the puppies).

Good Morning!

The baby shower!

One of our favorite people is expecting!

The cutest cake! Made by another fellow former JVC member.

Cletus guarding the gifts, and watching those super sneaky balloons.

Two uninvited guests demand cake!

The patients I saw this week;

Waiting for the doctor!

Bilateral cherry eye and cataracts, but why is he here to see me? Allergies.

Nothing is cuter than a kid who LOVES their puppy.

Peanuts mom sent me a post-op (anal sac removal) picture.
Moms report; "She feels much better!"
We are soo glad to hear that.

Coot, our clinic cat, looking very much "at home"

Our two vet school bound boys, joining forces to get a blood sample from a kitty.

I need her, I do.

This cyst on the base of Samantha's tale was the most dramatic case of my week.
Story to follow.

Bica had a dental this week. One very bad tooth was extracted.
She wasn't too fond of spending the day with us, but she did wonderfully!

The No Kill Harford kittens; two spays, and two neuters, all adorable!

And our most favorite newest clinic kitty, Jinx. She was found by a wonderful, kind, compassionate client of ours at an abandoned home. Jinx was found missing one eye, and one leg, and such a terrible mouth that she could barely eat. Jinx received extensive dental work, including many many extractions, but she has become the most gentle loving, and hilarious kitty. We all think that she sounds like a pterodactyl. She is an absolute love! She will make someone very very happy.

And lastly, my Savannah, still hanging in there!

Savannah

Have a wonderful rest of the week everyone!