The Honest Kitchen - pet food with a passion

Here are five useful tips for safe and happy travels with your animal companion!

• Never leave your pet in a parked car. Pets can overheat much faster than people and even a few minutes in a hot vehicle can be fatal.
• Always keep a collar with current tags, on your pet. If you’re away from home, make sure the tag includes your cell phone, or a contact number for the place you’ll be staying.
• Take frequent potty breaks. Having to ‘hold it’ too long can cause health problems like urinary tract infections. Everyone will be more comfortable with frequent rest stops to empty bladders and stretch the legs.
• Try to keep some creature comforts, the same. Even if you pup loves to travel, some journeys can be stressful especially if there are lots of different places to stay along the way. Keep beds, blankets, bowls and toys the same as they are at home, for a more relaxed journey. Keeping food consistent will help reduce the risk of tummy upsets, too.
• Take along a first aid kit for you and your animal companion, just in case. Along with the usual essentials like bandages, wound cleanser, tweezers and a soft muzzle, take along some Rescue Remedy, along with the homeopathic remedies  Apis (bites and stings) Arnica (bumps and bruises) Arsenicum (vomiting and diarrhea) all in the 30c potency pellets and Calendula cream for minor cuts and scrapes.

Here are a few important safety tips to keep in mind while out and about with your hound in summertime.

Heat stroke The first thing to do, is get the animal out of the heat; wet them completely down with cold water if possible, and apply cold water continuously. Place ice packs around the dog if you can, and get to a veterinarian immediately. You can administer Rescue Remedy every 10 minutes as well, to help calm the animal. Rescue Remedy is a great tool to have for any stressful situation and is incredibly safe to use. The most common cause of heat stroke is from being left in a parked car, or over-exertion such as hiking or other exercise in very hot weather without sufficient rest in the shade and cool drinks. Always plan ahead and take water with you. It may be better to leave your dog at home, rather than risk his health by letting him stay in a parked car, even for a few minutes.

Sun Burn Many animals, especially those with lighter hair and skin, can get sunburn and skin cancers as well. As you apply and reapply sun block to yourself, don’t forget to add some to pink, thin furred noses and ears, etc. There are many good quality canine sun blocks on the market but if necessary, a child’s hypoallergenic, natural sunblock will do. Particular care should be taken for dogs who have had their fur trimmed for summer. This can expose the delicate skin underneath, which doesn’t usually get much contact with the sun.

Paw Pads Use caution during the hot months when walking your dog. Black top and other hard surfaces like concrete as well as the sand at the beach, can get scorching hot. Parking lots, leather seats, and truck beds can also burn and blister your dog’s pads. It’s sometimes tempting to wet the paws to cool them down but this can actually make matters worse, becuase wet feet will sizzle even more when they come back in contact with a hot surface. Paw pad booties are a wise investment if you plan to be out and about in summertime. A torn up towel and tape will work in an emergency situation, to protect the paws until you can get home. Calendula and Aloe creams or gels are helpful for soothing blistered, sore paws.

Snakes ! For those who live in rattlesnake territory, be aware that snakes love to sun themselves and will lie out on in the middle of a trail to catch some rays. There are rattlesnake avoidance classes for dogs available in many areas.

The summer months can offer a world of fun for you and your pets, so go out and enjoy, and stay safe!

Of course, any emergency preparedness plan should account for our beloved animal companions. Some fantastic pointers on what do ahead of time, in case of a disaster, can be found below. This article is adapted from the work of one of our most favorite animal communicators, Paula Brown. To find out more about Paula’s gift and the services she offers click here

Have a safe place to take your pets

• Don’t wait until a disaster happens before you start thinking about where to go. Have a list of pet-friendly hotels and check their policies on size, number of pets. Ask whether ‘no pet’ policies are waived during emergencies. If an evacuation is ordered, call ahead to make a reservation.
• Better still, have a conversation ahead of time with one or two close friends and see if they would be willing to accommodate you or your pets in the event of an emergency. Ideally, one local and one more distant friend would be good for this task; in the event of a flood or earthquake, your immediate neighbors may be in the same predicament as you and you’ll need to travel elsewhere to reach safety. Ask friends, co-workers or relatives in the area of they would be willing to shelter your animals in case of emergency. Several pets in one household are most comfortable if housed together but be prepared to house them separately.
• Keep a list of boarding facilities and vets in your emergency kit, along with 24 hr contact information. As a last resort, find out if your local shelter or humane society could accommodate your pet in the event of a disaster.

Assemble a portable pet disaster supply kit.

• Keep it in an easily accessible place. Include medications, medical records(in a waterproof container), insurance documents, first aid supplies as well as leashes and carriers that would be necessary to transport your pet.
• Use a permanent marker to write your cell phone number on the leash or carrier that’s in your kit; this is important to make sure you and your pet can re-connect in the event of a separation.
• Also include current photos of your pets so that they can be correctly identified as yours.
• A note with your pet’s feeding schedule, medications and other info that a temporary caretaker might need, is also important. On this paper, you can include the name and number of a ‘backup’ caretaker (your chosen friend or shelter) who could accommodate your pet in the event that you become separated.
• Include enough food for one week if possible, as well as some bottled water and portable bowls. Anherbal or homeopathic calmer, or some chamomile teabags to make a tea which you can put in drinking water or food, is also useful for pets who are made anxious by change.

Know what to do as disaster approaches.

• Don’t wait until the last minute and you are already in harm’s way. A calm, earlier evacuation is much smoother and safer than a last minute, panicked rush. Bring all pets into the house and ensure they are wearing collars with identification.
• If you aren’t home when an evacuation is ordered, ask a friend or neighbor to take your pets and meet you at an agreed location. This person should be comfortable with your pets, know where they are likely to be, know where your emergency kit is stored and have a key to your home.

While many plants, herbs and botanicals can be valuable tools in a holistic approach to managing health, others are terribly toxic to our animal companions.

Here are just a few of the many plants that are poisonous to cats and dogs. This list is adapted from the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center materials. For a more extensive list, along with other dangerous household substances click here

Lilies These popular flowers are considered to be highly toxic to cats. While the poisonous component has not yet been identified, it is clear that even ingesting a very small amount of the plant, can cause severe kidney damage.

Tulip / Narcissus bulbs These bulbs contain toxins that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation, drooling, loss of appetite, depression of the central nervous system, convulsions and cardiac abnormalities.

Azalea / Rhododendron Members of this plant family contain substances known as grayantoxins, which can produce vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, weakness and depression of the central nervous system in animals. Severe azalea poisoning could ultimately lead to coma and death from cardiovascular collapse.

Oleander All parts of this attractive shrub are considered to be toxic, as they contain cardiac glycosides that have the potential to cause serious effects, including gastrointestinal irritation, abnormal heart function, hypothermia and even death.

Cyclamen Cyclamen species contain cyclamine, but the highest concentration of this toxic component is typically located in the root portion of the plant. If consumed, Cyclamen can produce significant gastrointestinal irritation, including intense vomiting. Fatalities have also been reported in some cases.

Sago Palm All parts are poisonous, but the seeds or “nuts” contain the largest amount of toxin. The ingestion of just one or two seeds can result in very serious effects, which include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, seizures and liver failure.

Kalanchoe This plant contains components that can produce gastrointestinal irritation, as well as those that are toxic to the heart, and can seriously affect cardiac rhythm and rate.

Yew This tree contains a toxic component known as taxine, which causes central nervous system effects such as trembling, in-coordination, and difficulty breathing. It can also cause significant gastrointestinal irritation and cardiac failure, which can result in death.

What To Do If Your Pet Is Poisoned

- Don’t panic but try to think clearly and work quickly.
- If you know what has poisoned your pet, take a moment to gather a sample along with any package labeling. Be sure to take the product container with you to your vet. Also, collect in any chewed or vomited material in a zip-lock bag.
- If you witness your pet consuming material that you suspect might be toxic, do not hesitate to seek emergency assistance, even if you do not notice any adverse effects. Sometimes, even if poisoned, an animal may appear normal for several hours or for days after the incident.
Call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435. There is a $55 consultation fee for this service.

The following information will be required when you call:
- the species, breed, age, sex, weight and number of animals involved
- the animal’s symptoms
- information regarding the exposure, including the agent (if known), the amount of the agent involved and the time elapsed since the time of exposure.

If your animal is having seizures, losing consciousness, is unconscious or is having difficulty breathing, telephone ahead and bring your pet immediately to your local veterinarian or emergency veterinary clinic. If necessary, he or she may call the APCC.

Always consult a veterinarian or the APCC for directions on how and when to use any emergency first-aid item.

Tracie Hotchner’s guest article

This issue we are very excited to present a guest article for our newsletter, written by our friend Tracie Hotchner, author of the best selling Dog Bible:

ASK THE DOG BIBLE….School’s Back In! Kids & Dogs

Because the risk of dog bites to children is always an issue, “The Dog Bible” has teamed up with the Humane Society of the United States in Washington, D.C. to promote dog-child safety with the “Teach Kids to Read Dogs” campaign, with bookmarks that highlight some of “Scooby Doo Hotchner’s 25 Rules for Kids” from the book.

Dogs are not four-legged humans and their methods of communication are entirely different. The “language” of dogs – their body language – has to be taught to children like any foreign language so that signals from the dog are not misinterpreted. It’s so important for a child be taught from an early age how a dog thinks, what makes him tick and how to avoid provoking him into unwanted behavior. Ironically, the more that adults treat a dog with affection and dignity, speaking about the dog’s feelings and needs, it may be hard for a child to understand that the dog who loves her can also harm her.

Ways You Can Protect Children with Dogs

Children will copy the way adults behave toward a dog, just as they mimic everything around them. To make sure that the children in your dog’s life do not raise their voices or their hands to a dog, take care that no adults ever show overt anger or aggression to an animal (displays of aggression to humans are an equally poor example).
* Ironically, visiting children who already own a dog can be at risk because they may be too comfortable – making them casual around a dog they don’t know. These children probably know nothing about the warning signs and signals that dogs send to other dogs and to people to keep give them some space.
* Kids often aren’t taught the way to approach and handle a dog. They may provoke a dog by petting him while he is eating. They may startle a dog who is sleeping. They may want to hug or kiss a dog who naturally experiences these actions as aggressive. It’s rare for a young child to be able to see things from another point of view – especially that of a pet. – so you have to find a way to get these ideas across.
* An older dog may have little patience. As dogs age, they may feel achy or grumpy part of the time. A senior citizen can have the pain of arthritic joints, eyesight and hearing that are failing, and slower responses. A child can’t understand the discomforts of aging, making it even harder for him to understand that a dog wants to be left alone.
* Some children may tease and taunt a dog for fun. Any teasing is ultimately unpleasant for a dog, even if he seems to go along with it at first. Excessive teasing can cause a dog to lash out in frustration. Kids from 9 to 12 years old may experiment with the limits of a dog’s tolerance by restraining the dog and then calling him, by playing monkey-in-the-middle or by getting the dog to bark or growl by holding a toy or treat just out of his reach. Children need to be taught that these games are cruel: one way to do this would be to ask how they would feel if someone did the same thing to them.
* Take your child to obedience training classes with you and the dog. Depending on how young (and short) the child is, you might want to hold the leash together with the child so that when the child gives a command (“sit,” “down” and “come” are the ones he can try most successfully) you also have hold of the leash to reinforce the dog’s compliance. However, at the end of the day, the dog has to pay attention to the child (even though you are the one with treats). Once the dog does accept and obey commands from the child, the child will automatically be in a higher position than the dog.
* Desensitize your dog to childish interruptions. Without children actually around, you can practice every few days for your dog to accept surprises. When he’s eating, put your hand near the bowl and put some treats in with his food and pat him. When he’s sleeping, gently wake him up and give him a little rubbing, then leave him alone again. When he’s chewing on a toy, slowly take it away from him, give him praise and a treat, then give him back the toy. Don’t do any of this too frequently or you’ll wear out your welcome, but teaching your dog to happily accept anything a human does around him or to him will prepare him for the random behavior of a child. (It’s a good habit to practice even without children in the picture.)
* Do not expect a child under six to be responsible for a pet or to have a full understanding of the risks involved in handling a dog.

Having said all this, there’s still no sweeter return home from a day at school than to have a trusty pooch waiting with your milk and cookies when you get off the bus!

Tracie Hotchner, the author of this article, is the host of Dog Talk - The Radio Show.
Dogs have become such an integral part of peoples’ lives that there is no area of human existence that isn’t touched by dogs in some way – and yet so many areas about which not enough is known or there are vigorous debates. DOG TALK™ The Radio Show addresses subjects like:
• the disturbing truth about the shocking ingredients used in most popular commercial dog foods
• wellness care and debate about the danger of routine vaccinations
• the unnecessary pain of ear docking in and the physical discomfort and balance impairment caused by routine docking of the tail
• dog/child safety and dog bite prevention
• the horrible truth about the “mills” where all pet store puppies come from
• controversies about dog parks, ways to make successful ones
• making a will that leaves money in trust to dogs rather than human survivors

What you’ll hear on DOG TALK™ the Radio Show is sure to amuse or amaze you since the place where people and their dogs meet is often at the intersection of excess and intensity. For the “special” editions out in the field, Tracie will travel to a dog-related location and bring her radio audience with her. Occasionally, she’ll interview celebrities to hear about their love for the dogs who have shared their lives. You can visit DOG TALK™ Here!.

Tracie Hotchner is also the author of THE DOG BIBLE: Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know (Gotham Books, November 2005).

Click here to go to The Dog Bible website. www.thedogbible.com

The book is already a best-seller, being called the “Dr. Spock for dogs.” It is a 700-page encyclopedic guide that covers every imaginable aspect of sharing your life with a dog – from the mundane to the controversial – all aspects of the shared canine/human lifestyle. The book is already changing the way people deal with their dogs – and that impact will draw them to DOG TALK™ to be amused, enlightened and intrigued on canine topics.