Traveling With Your Pet
If you are like most pet owners, you might be planning your next get-a-way with your pets. In fact, more than 53% of Americans will include their dog or cat in their travel plans this year. But before you pack up your pooch, take a few minutes to keep your pet comfortable and your frustrations low.

If traveling by air, be sure to check with the airlines regarding travel specifications and guidelines regarding the style of pet carrier. Also, many airlines will require a health certificate issued by your veterinarian within 10 days of travel. Some airlines may refuse transport of pets when temperatures exceed 84 degrees or are below 45 degrees anywhere along the itinerary. Short nosed breeds may be refused at even lower temperatures due to difficulties in their ability to ventilate during travel. Some people think that all pets should be tranquilized for travel, but this practice is not endorsed or recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association due to safety risks to sedated pets during air travel. Good preparation and communication with your airlines is important to ensure your dog or cat gets to the destination safely.

If a road trip with your pet is on the summer agenda, then ensure your pet is ready with these important pet travel items:

• Identification with both collar/tags and microchip
• LMAH issued pet ID card with vaccination information
• Heartworm prevention
• Flea & tick prevention
• Pet care supplies: food, water, bedding, litter supplies, toys
• Pet first aid kit
• List of pet friendly hotels or accommodations

For more information about traveling with your dog, check out the FIDO Friendly Magazine at www.fidofriendly.com

Pesky Pet Parasites and Travel
Many of our clients are aware that Las Vegas pets do in fact have a risk of parasites such as internal parasites, ticks and mosquitoes here in our locale. But if your pet is traveling state to state with you, then you should be aware that you are traveling through areas with much heavier parasite burdens than we are accustomed to in Las Vegas. Before traveling, be prepared with appropriate heartworm and flea/tick preventatives for your pet.

But the risk is more than just that of the gross factor of seeing fleas or removing a tick from your pet. Ticks carry serious diseases like Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasmosis. And mosquitoes are well-known to carry heartworm disease. If you are planning a trip with your pet out of state, then see the incidence of some parasite carried diseases. The information is easily viewed by the individual U.S. state or Canadian provinces you are traveling to.

Click on this hyperlink to view: U.S. Regional Map of Lyme disease, Canine Ehrlichiosis, Heartworm, Anaplasma

Pet of the Month
Congratulations to our pet of the month “Zeus”. Read all about him on our website at www.lmah.net.