Family Travel Reminders

Many families will travel out of town for the holidays. Some will take the roads and some will go by air. No matter which way you and your family travel, Forbes Living TV shares some reminders to keep handy.

Who will take care of the house, mail and family pets while you are away? Now is the time to reserve the best caretakers for these valuable assets. Be sure to add some buffer time to the schedule to allow for delayed flights or heavy traffic congestion. Add an extra day to the schedule, if needed. Make a list of what needs to be done daily.

Families who are taking flights out of town should consider downloading movies on tablets or digital devices a week or more before the flight departs. Sometimes the download is slow even on a fast connection.  The same applies for adding apps and especially those related for travel.

If special meals, such as a gluten-free one, are needed for family members, place that request when reserving the flight and seats. If the reservation is already made, call the airline and add the request well in advance of the flight.

familykenkel also suggests checking the baggage restrictions for all connecting flights. Your checked suitcase may be too big and heavy for the regional airline connection to the destination point. Know before you go.

With a little advance planning, a family holiday trip can go smoothly. Why leave some things to chance?

Tips for Pets Who Miss Their Kid-Siblings

The family pet mopes all day long waiting for the kids to get home from school. Some become so anxious that they destroy blinds, doors and other objects. A neighbor’s pooch becomes so upset when her family is out of the house that it viewed up three sets of mini blinds before they brought in another dog to keep the wild one calm. Familykenkel offers tips for pets that miss their kid-siblings when school starts.

A great summer for the dog or cat is having their human siblings around to play with and cuddle up to. But once school starts, what’s a sad and lonely pet to do until the school bus comes back or the front door opens? Make school departure time happy and fun with treats and toys. Toss the ball one more time or give the family four-legger a treat before heading out. Make a safe place for the animal to stay in during the day. Crates work well for this especially if the dog is trained to go in it when young. This is their safe space. Don’t draw out saying see ya later to the dog. Make it quick and then go out the door. If school already started, start the new school routine for the pooch over the weekend. Familykenkel recommends getting the family pet used to the new schedule as soon as possible. If the animal has serious anxiety problems, go see the vet and ask if there is anything that can help. Animals are family members just like their human buddies. Look after then and they will look after you.

Love Our Pets on Summer

As hot as it is outside for humans, it can be hotter for our pets. Familykenkel takes time to share some summer tips for those of us with a four legged child.

Regardless of whatever is posted on the Internet, there are some hard fast rules for summer when it comes to pets. 

Help pets stay cool by letting them come inside the home during the heat of the day. 

Ice is not harmful to a dog so go ahead and drop a cube or two in the water bowl. 

If the dog seems to be having a heat stroke, place ice packs under his or her front shoulders and massage rubbing alcohol into the paws. Rush the animal to the vet for further treatment. 

Familykenkel also suggests walking dogs in the early morning and early evening when it is cooler outside. If mid day walks are needed, make them short and encourage the animal to walk in the grass. 

Dr. Tina Wismer, medical director at the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, notes that the some animal behaviorists recommend freezing toys or treats for dogs to chew on. It is also noteworthy to know that dog ice cream bars are also a favorite goody in the summer. 

Our pets love to be with us when we are inside and outside. Be sure to keep them safe and healthy with access to fresh clean water all day and a cool place to rest that is out of the sun. 

Love Our Pets – Vaccination Debate Hits Pet Owners

The boisterous debate on vaccinations for kids has now moved to pet owners. Do owners of cats and dogs feel that their beloved animals need to be given a round of booster shots year after year? Familykenkel looks into it and offers suggestions for pet parents.

Is it really necessary to take the family cat or dog into the vet every year for a round of booster vaccinations? What if the pet is only an indoor pet as many cats are? What if the dog is older (not a senior)?  What if the pathogens in the vaccinations later cause illness in the pet? These are the questions some pet owners are asking of their vets.

The first round of vaccs for cats and dogs -- parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and rabies – are given when the animals are puppies and kittens. Pet owners are also required to be sure their animals also get an annual rabies shot, plus booster shots of the above. The American Animal Hospital Association and most veterinary medicine groups recommend pets get core vaccines once every three years to maintain enough antibodies to build immunity against the diseases. Familykenkel also notes that when a pet gets an annual rabies shot, the humans in its life are protected from getting rabies if bitten by their own pet or by another pet.

On the flip side, if there is no occurrence of rabies in your country, why subject the animal to a stressful trip to the vet and a shot? The same can be said of annual exams for healthy pets. Why subject the animal to poking, prodding and thermometers if there is no need to? While the debate will heat up, the ultimate decision rests with the pet owner and no one else. Because no one else knows that animal better.

Five Pieces of Advice to Never Give

We all know someone who thinks they have the answer to everything, can solve all types of problems and is the best life adviser. Familykenkel has some advice for them.

There are big topics that no one should ever advise anyone else about.

Raising children – Parents know their children the best. What works for one family may not work for the other. Refrain from offering parenting advice unless asked.

Pregnancy – Oh boy are there people who just love to make comments to expectant moms about what to eat, not to eat, wear and not to wear. But to be clear, unless you are her doctor, please keep your comments to yourself.

The home – Some people are busier than others, some have full-time jobs and some do not. What you see in someone else’s home from a random dust bunny to a cloudy glass should not be commented on – unless you are offering to come over do the dishes or clean the house.

Single Friends – There is a reason some people are still single when the people around them are married. They like it this way. Please don’t make comments on what they need to do in order to find a mate.

Physical appearance –Familykenkel knows that no one is perfect. Your style of dress may not be someone else’s style. Some men prefer a scruffy beard and others a clean shave face. Some women like to change their hair color regularly while others prefer to stick to their hair’s natural color. Whatever the difference are, they are the differences which make all unique. Embrace them. And refrain from offering advice if not asked.

Cities That Love Their Pets the Most

One could argue that the top 20 cities that spend the most on the pets did not include yours. Familykenkel, headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL did not make the list. However, that does not mean that people here do not love their pets enough to spend most of their income on them.

The list of the top 20 cities was compiled by Amazon for sales on pet products in 2013. The products included items for all kinds of pets. Miami pet owners spent the most money on pet apparel and accessories. Hello, stylish South Beachpooches! Seattlespent the most on pet treats letting us believe that either their pets are the best behaved or just spoiled rotten. San Jose spent the most on horse-related items which leads us to believe that those Silicon Valley execs want the best for their horses. In any case, Familykenkel finds it absolutely wonderful that pet owners think of their animals as their fur kids. We think the same for ours.
1. Miami2. Seattle3. Atlanta4. San Francisco5. Portland, Ore.6. Washington, D.C.7. Las Vegas8. Austin, Texas9. Tucson, Ariz.10. San Diego11. Sacramento, Calif.12. Raleigh, N.C.13. Denver14. Colorado Springs, Colo.15. Baltimore16. San Jose, Calif.17. Albuquerque, N.M.18. Chicago19. Omaha, Neb.20. Virginia Beach, Va.

Forbes Living TV -- Love My Pet Health News

There are 70 million dogs and 74 million cats in American homes being loved, spoiled and neglected in health care. Forbes Living TV offers some preventative health care suggestions for pet owners in Love My Pet news.

You’ve heard that the American population is fighting obesity. So is its pet population.  The percentage of pets who are overweight or are obese are downright shocking:

Dogs – 37%

Cats – 90%

Pets become obese from being fed too much and not getting enough exercise. Their weight problem can result in medial problems, just like their human owners: diabetes, arthritis, kidney and thyroid problems. Some pet owners have no idea their animals are not well because they are not getting annual check-ups from the vet. Visits to the family veterinarian are down 21% for dogs and 30% for cats since 2001. However, emergency visits are up.

Forbes Living TV notes that as an animal gets older, it needs at least an annual check-up from the vet. While the price of an office visit and any blood work which needs done can be a bit expensive, it is well worth the cost to keep the family fur-kid healthy. Dogs, and especially cats are pretty good at not showing they don’t feel well.

Forbes Living TV knows this is the primary reason to take family pets in for regular check-ups. If cost is a factor and you have been going to that vet for a while, ask if the visit and any tests can be billed. The important thing is to be sure the treasured and loved family pet or pets are healthy and stay healthy. Prevention is key and preventative exams can be lifesavers.

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