Going On Vacation? Now Is The Time to Book Your Pet Sitter !

BY:  Laurie Brzostowski, President, Snaggle Foot Dog Walks and Pet Care-Round Lake, IL

Well, it is that time of year.  We, in the pet sitting business, are now starting to get clients scheduling for Summer vacations... Woo Hoo !!!!

But, there are always those new or even current clients who call us 3 days before a vacation starts asking us if we can take care of their pets.

Most of the time we cannot because we are already booked. Because of this, it is important that you schedule your pet sitting needs as far in advance as you can.

I personally hate turning clients away but if I am already booked there is nothing I can do to help you. Even referring to another pet sitter probably won't help as they are in the same situation as I am.

So, here are 10 tips to get you on the pet sitters schedule in time to enjoy your vacation:

1. If you have pets, and you are planning on going away for vacation, call a pet sitter immediately and make arrangements.  Do not wait until the hotel and flight is booked.. that may be too late. If you are a new client, most pet sitters need to meet with you in advance to go over any and all logistics of the visit and get you on the schedule.
2. Don't forget when planning your vacation budget, you must also plan the pet sitting costs. This should help with "sticker shock" if you already know how much it will cost to have your pets taken care of while you are away.
3. If your pets require vaccinations, make sure all pets are vaccinated before your pet visits begin. Most pet sitters require pets to be vaccinated and may require proof of vaccination.
4. Make sure you read your pet sitters cancellation policies.  During peak vacation times, pet sitters may require payment up front or a down payment and cancellations too close to the actual visit dates may forfeit some or all of your payment.
5. When going away on long vacations, make sure you give your pet sitters emergency contact information and give YOUR contact information, whether that be your cell phone number and the hotel or friend you will staying at/with.  
6. If you are going overseas, it is even more important to give your pet sitter contact information in case of an emergency, preferably a friend or family member who is still in the area of where you live.
7. Make sure you notify your veterinarian that your pet sitter will act as proctor for any pet care should it be needed, this includes medications.
8. Make sure that if you come home early from your vacation, notify your pet sitter immediately. If you do not contact them they could already be on the way to complete their visit and you may still be charged for that visit.  Again, read any and all cancellation policies.
9. If you are going away for a long period of time, make sure you leave phone numbers for any repairmen including heating/air conditioning, water heaters, etc.  Things tend to happen when homeowners are away and pet sitters will need those numbers to get any major issues taken care of.
10. Best tip yet.. If you schedule in advance, now you can relax, pack and enjoy your vacation with your friends and family !!!!!!

Flea and Tick Season Is Here!

BY: Laurie Brzostowski, President, Snaggle Foot Dog Walks and Pet Care-Round Lake, IL

This blog post is just a reminder that Flea and Tick season is now upon us.  Fleas and Ticks can cause severe illness to your whole family so make sure you and your pets are protected.

Flea bites can cause skin disorders, infections and allergies, and spread tapeworms. And bacteria spread from infected tick bites can cause Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that can affect humans, dogs and cats.

Lyme disease is characterized by lameness, swollen joints and fever. Ticks carrying Lyme disease don’t discriminate, so it is imperative to take a proactive stance in protecting not only your pet, but your family from this debilitating disease.

The following are some steps to take to help protect your family and your pet from Fleas and Ticks:

• Treat Your Pet: The first step is to apply a preventative treatment on your dog and/or cat such as Frontline or Advantix. If you are not sure about the type of treatment to use, please contact your veterinarian immediately.  The sooner you protect your pet the better.

• Treat Your Home:  Washing pet bedding, vacuuming carpets and treating with household insecticide sprays, powders and foggers are good first steps to ridding your home of fleas and preventing infestations. Make sure you use a spray that’s pet friendly and designed to reach the hiding places of fleas -- rugs, carpets, drapes and upholstery.

• Treat Your Yard: Your yard should be a safe zone for pets to play, not a place to pick up parasites. Ticks, which are usually dark brown or black, have pincers and can be spotted by the naked eye. Fleas are tiny, brown insects and can be difficult to spot.  Spray your yard and around the foundation of your home to kill flea populations.  Make sure you spray while your pets and family members are not around as some of these sprays are toxic.

• How to Remove a Tick: 
• Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
• Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
• After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

Keeping your pets and family healthy is priority number one.  Make sure you take proactive steps in keeping everyone safe !

Would Acupuncture Help My Dog?

BY:  Laurie Brzostowski, President, Snaggle Foot Dog Walks and Pet Care-Round Lake, IL

I have been hearing a lot of news lately regarding giving acupuncture to dogs.  In fact, a friend of mine actually did do this for her doggie when he was having problems with his back legs.

I find this very interesting so I thought I would do some research on it and pass on the information to any of you who may considering this for your dogs.  Here is some information I found.  If you are interested, it is always a good idea to contact your veterinarian for more information.

What Can Veterinary Acupuncture Do for My Dog?

• Veterinary acupuncture stimulates the release of the body’s own pain relieving and anti-inflammatory substances. 
• Relaxation of muscles at the site of needle insertion and more distant locations body is achieved with veterinary acupuncture treatment, creating both a local and generalized pain relieving effect. Veterinary acupuncture improves tissue blood flow, oxygenation, and removal of metabolic wastes and toxins.
• Unlike prescription and over the counter pain medications, veterinary acupuncture lacks potential adverse side effects for your pet’s internal organs.
• Your pet’s medications or supplements will not adversely interact with veterinary acupuncture treatment; therefore it can safely be used to treat a variety of illnesses.

How Does Veterinary Acupuncture Work?
The goal of acupuncture is to promote the body to heal itself. From a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) perspective, veterinary acupuncture encourages healing by correcting energy imbalances in the body. Acupuncture enhances blood circulation, nervous system stimulation, and the release of anti-inflammatory and pain relieving hormones.

Acupuncture involves the insertion of needles into body tissue where nerve bundles and blood vessels come together. These collections of nervous and vascular tissue are termed acupuncture points, which course over all aspects of the body’s surface on meridians (energy channels). The meridians permit a cycle of energy to occur throughout the entire body over the course of the day’s 24 hours.

Besides needle insertion, other acupuncture treatments are also available.  Check with your vet to get information on the other acupuncture options.

What Conditions Can be Managed with Veterinary Acupuncture?

Veterinary acupuncture can be used to treat a variety of conditions, particularly those that involve inflammation and pain.

• Arthritis
• Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD)
• Trauma
• Cancer
• Metabolic Disease

What Environment is Best for Acupuncture?
House call based veterinary acupuncture alleviates the physical and behavioral stress associated with transportation to and from a veterinary facility. Additionally, as animal hospitals are traditionally places of illness, the potential for exposure to infectious disease is reduced when a pet is treated at home.

How Frequently Does My Pet Need Veterinary Acupuncture Treatment?

Dogs and cats start with more frequent treatments then are tapered off to a less frequent interval for maintenance. Most patients benefit from one to three sessions per week during the initial few weeks. The goal is to achieve the greatest duration of time where a pet’s condition appears improved or has resolved.

The effects of veterinary acupuncture treatment are cumulative, so consistent treatment is more beneficial than intermittent.

If you are thinking about this type of treatment it is always best to talk to your veterinarian.  He or she may already have some contacts in your area you can call upon.  Either way, anything we can do to help our pets is always worth checking out.