Airline Travel with your Dog

Mochi is small/medium, about 7.5 lbs. We have not traveled for more than 2.5 hours on a plane with her but so far she has been very good. During takeoff and landing Mochi gets fussy, so we always prepare a Kong with peanut butter to keep her occupied. I recommend traveling with Airtran because they have one of the cheapest pet fares ($69 each way) and they are very pet friendly. On one of my flights the flight attendant made sure to ask if my dog needed water, and on another they even let me put the carrier between our seats for a part of the flight.


FLYING WITH PET CHECKLIST

1. Call Airline to confirm your pet’s reservation. Go HERE for Airline pet fees and policies.
2. Carrier that matches Airline’s size requirements. Softsided carriers have a bit of leeway so if they’re a little bigger than required size you’re probably ok.
3. Documents provided by Vet (if required by airline)
4. Toys
5. Treats. Kong stuffed with peanut butter works for my dog.
6. Foldable water/food bowl
7. Pee pad if needed

When looking for a good pet carrier for airline travel, these are important points to consider:

1. Size - Depending on the size of your pet, they may need more room to feel comfortable when flying. Mine can stand up and turn around in the Kurgo carrier with room to spare. Opt for a carrier that is in between soft and rigid so you can give your pet the most room and still fit the carrier under the seat.
2. Proper Ventilation - are there enough mesh sides to allow air circulation? For the duration of the flight your pet will be under the seat. Some might like more privacy, but mine prefers to have light and be able to see us. If your dog is the type that hates being away from you, you're going to want a carrier with the most ventilation possible.
3. Soft versus Hard Construction - Soft sided carriers have the advantage of being folded and adjusted to fit under the seat, but their shape will cause your pet to get bumped around when carried on your hip. Hard or rigid carriers, such as rolling ones with wheels, allow a smoother ride, but are not foldable and may not be accepted by the airline if they are too big.
4. Entrance Points - When possible, choose one that has a top entry point. This makes it easier to just zip the top and take your pet out when going through security.

City Chic EPI Leather Pet Carrier
Cost: $99
Overall: D
Pros:

1. Great modern design
2. Has rigid sides so my dog doesn't get tossed around too much when being carried.
3. Construction is solid
4. Collapsible for storage

Cons:

1. Horrible ventilation. Even with both ends being mesh, there is still only a tiny opening at the top. This plus the fake leather material make the interior very stuffy. We used this the first time flying and my dog panicked from being in the dark and not being able to see out.
2. Storage space on the side is not enough for treats, toys, etc
3. No top entry point. One zipper goes around the whole bottom, so you only have the option to open one end at a time.

American Tourister Smart Carrier
Cost: $70
Overall: B
Pros:

1. Good ventilation, both ends zip down
2. Entrance from top and both sides. Top entry makes it easy to take dog in and out.
3. A lot of storage space for treats, toys, etc
4. Nice padded strap
5. Can be used as a car seat
6. Soft sides allow it to be molded to fit under airline seat
7. Construction is solid, zippers glide smoothly

Cons:

1. The sides were too soft and will bump against your hip, causing your dog to be tossed around
2. The strap is well padded but does not allow you to adjust it much shorter.

Kurgo Wander Carrier: Our choice for airline travel
Cost: $54
Overall: A-
Pros:

1. Good ventilation, both ends zip down
2. Entrance from top and both sides. Top entry makes it easy to take dog in and out.
3. Nice padded strap
4. Can be used as a car seat
5. Has rigid sides so my dog doesn't get tossed around too much when being carried, however it can still be molded to fit under airline seat
6. Construction is solid, zippers glide smoothly
7. Bottom pad is quilted and comfortable

Cons:

1. OK amount of storage space for treats, toys, etc

Dog UTI's and Struvite Stones

About 2 months ago I noticed that Mochi has been peeing more frequently, in smaller puddles. The good thing about having her using pee pads is I was able to monitor the amount. Then when she went outside, she took a lot longer to pee, from about 5 quick seconds to sometimes 30 seconds. Then she would have frequent accidents in the house, and piddle when we get home or had quests over, something she never did before. At first we thought this was a behavioral problem, so we just tried to keep her calm. We decided to bring her to the vet to get checked out anyway since we suspected it might be a UTI.

FIRST TREATMENT
She was brought to our vet and they performed a urinalysis (not urine culture) and they determined it was an Urinary Tract Infection. She was given a antibiotic shot called Convenia. The total cost for that visit was around $100. In hindsight, we should have asked for a urine culture, which would determine the exact appropriate antibiotic before giving her anything. After a week or so she was still having accidents, no real improvement in her condition.

SECOND TREATMENT
A week or so after her first vet visit we went to a pet store where she had an accident on the floor, this time very bloody. In panic, we brought her to an emergency vet where X-rays were taken and they determined that it was most likely struvite stones caused by the UTI. The X-rays showed 4 large stones that took up most of her bladder, which explains her frequent accidents. The vet asked if I would like to have her urine sample be sent out for a culture, which under different circumstances I would. However, she still had the first antibiotic shot in her body, and I know that will compromise the culture. She was prescribed Clavamox (Amoxycillin)and Royal Canine Urinary SO food which I will go into further below. The cost for this visit was $350 including the visit fee, antibiotic, food, and X-rays.



Bloody urine



X-Ray showing 4 large struvite stones in bladder

PRESCRIPTION FOOD
The vet prescribed Royal Canine Urinary SO food to help dissolve the stones and to keep her pH balanced. I did not want to feed her this since the ingredients are terrible, and from what I've read, once an infection has set in the food does little good. Her stones were also way too big to be dissolved. I did follow instructions and fed her this, but the vet mentioned she might have to be on it for the rest of her life. There is no way I'm feeding her this crap when first main ingredients are rice, ground corn, and chicken fat.

SURGERY
Our only option at that point was surgery to remove the stones since they were so large. We ended up getting the surgery done at our regular vet, the cost was around $1100. After the surgery they also took X-rays to make sure all the stones and other particles were removed. She got staples and was very drowsy from the pain medication for about 2 days. After the 2 days of rest she was back to normal and was eating and drinking again. We kept the cone on so she wouldn't lick at her wound. About 10 days later, her cut was almost healed, and I figured she might be OK without the cone so I let her run free. Less than an hour later I found that she had ripped out the staples. Lesson learned. We brought her back to the vet for a checkup and everything looked good. They did not really recommend any prevention methods except to keep feeding her Royal Canine.



Struvite stones removed from the bladder.


Mochi's booboo with staples. I believe they stitched the inside layer with stitches, but staples were a better choice to hold everything together.

PREVENTION
We did send the stones out to be tested, and the results came back Struvite. This type of bladder stone almost always forms when a dog has a UTI. Since recurrence is likely, my main goal is to prevent her from getting a UTI again. I am continuing to feed her Lotus Food and I started adding wet canned Lotus Food with her dry kibble to get more fluid in her system. I also try to take her for more walks, allowing her to pee and drink more water. We got a pH Test Kit and test her urine level every week right when she gets up. Since Struvite stones form in more alkaline urine, anything above 7.5 will be a cause for concern. I will also start to give her Cranberry tablets to help prevent UTI's. I clean her peepee area after she goes potty and keep the hairs around that area cut very short.

We have tested her urine for 2 weeks, so far it has stayed 6-6.5 which is good. If her urine pH suddenly jumps from acidic (5-7) to alkaline (7.5 or higher) I will bring her back to the vet to get her urine cultured. This should determine the right antibiotic if she does have another UTI.

MORE INFORMATION
For owners who have had to deal with this, I know how hard it is to find prevention methods when vets tend to only treat the problem when it's too late. If you would like to get some more information about bladder stones in dogs, this article is a great source.


All bettuh!

UPDATE: Since her surgery in August 2010, we have kept up with 3 preventative steps and they seem to be working. Her urinary health is great.
1. Mixing a little bit of canned food to her kibbles (we feed her Lotus dog food, not Royal Canine as prescribed by the vet)
2. Keeping her private areas clean after she pees
3. Checking her PH levels in urine. Hers has stayed between 6-6.5 which is normal.
4. Giving her some cranberry pills
5. More walking to encourage peeing

Dog Grooming

The benefit of having a Maltese/Shihtzu is she does not shed. The bad: her hair grows very fast and requires frequent grooming. If I let it go for more than a week, it will turn into a clumpy mess.

BATH
Frequency: Once a week
We give her lots of treats when she's getting groomed, so she is great when it comes to bath time. We use Buddy Wash Shampoo and follow with Conditioner. We tried to sneak teeth brushing but so far no luck, she will not let us do it. I will have to find another way or bring her to a groomer. After blow drying, we soak up a cotton ball with Ear Cleaner and clean out her ears. I say we because this is usually a team effort, with one giving her small bites of treats.

In addition to giving her Angel Eyes for tear stains, I wash her face every other day. I use a toothbrush to comb out the boogies and use a combination of shampoo and Eye Wash.

BRUSHING
Frequency: 2-3 times a week
She generally hates this routine, so I try to wait for the rare occasion that she's tired. I place her on the bathroom counter and give her treats throughout. Using a Slicker Brush is the best way to get her mats out. When there are clumps of mats, I cut them out using small scissors.

NAIL TRIM
Frequency: Every couple of months
I can usually do this once she's returned from a long day of daycare and passes out. Her nails are light and it's easy to see the quick, so I have no issues with cutting them too close.

OVERALL HYGIENE
I try to check her buttie after every poo to make sure there aren't any clingons, and wipe her peepee with a warm paper towel to keep it clean. I always ask the groomer to cut the hairs around her unmentionables super short. Occasionally in between haircuts I trim them myself.


Got mah hair did

Dog Food Review

BREED: Maltese/Shih Tzu
WEIGHT: 7.5 lbs
AGE: A little more than a year old

HISTORY
When Mochi was brought home from the breeder, she was fed Eukanuba Puppy Small Breed Formula, which wasn't entirely horrible but I wanted to start her off eating the best food possible. We started introducing her to Innova Puppy, which she wasn't crazy about. She actually started to pick out the triangular-shaped food and set it aside. Then I tried EVO Red Meat Small Bite, which she kind of ate, but it made her poo soft.

For the next couple of months we tried California Natural, Canidae, EVO, Orijen, Solid Gold, Taste of the Wild, Halo, Merrick, and Solid Gold, with mixed results. Yes, she is an extremely picky eater. Luckily her tummy adapted well and she never got sick through the different transitions. I was able to get samples of these foods from my local pet store, so it did not cost me anything to get her to try new them. She was about 3 lbs at 3 months, and now she's 7.5 lbs. From day one she has been given filtered water.

CURRENT FOOD

From about 7 months of age until now she is being fed Lotus Puppy food. She is a little bit over a year now and I have not switched over to Adult food yet. She really likes this stuff, and I like the ingredients as well as the fact that is is baked food. Mochi is not a big eater and does not gorge herself. Of course with treats, it's a different story. I have also been mixing the dry kibble with a spoonful of canned Lotus Turkey, which she loves. The reason is to have more water in her system due to her UTI and bladder stone surgery about a month ago. You can read about that ordeal HERE.

TREATS
I give her a variety of jerky flavors from Wellness. They work extremely well for training. Mochi also loves apples, peanut butter, and cheese. She will pounce on biscuits but has no real interest in eating them. Occasionally she gets rawhide when we can watch her. Also, when we are away we let her have her "Crack ball" which is a great chew toy that you can insert treat discs in.



TEAR STAIN PREVENTION
I'm sure owners of light-haired breeds have probably heard about Angel Eyes, and I have to say it's the only thing that has treated and prevented tear stains. Mochi did not have it that bad, but the stinky yeast smell was horrible. We sprinkle this in her food and saw results in about a month or so. It is costly, so I use it maybe 2-3 times a week, and wash her face every other day. I use a toothbrush to comb out the boogies and use a combination of Buddy Wash Shampoo and Eye Wash. See my dog grooming tips HERE.




Tear-stain free in '93

I's Innernet Famousth !!!

lookie!