WHY DENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT FOR DOGS #PetDentalHealthMonthWithOratene

 February is Pet Dental Health Month!

Lack of dental health in dogs and cats can lead to dental disease, which can cause more serious health issues. Toxins from periodontal disease get absorbed into the pet's blood stream which can cause infection in the body. This can potentially damage kidney, lever, heart, and brain tissue.

It's estimated that over 80% of dogs will show signs of periodontal disease by age three! I think we can safely say that paying attention to a dog's teeth should be part of our overall dog health care routine.

The large majority of dog owners don't brush their dog's teeth at all. That doesn't surprise me, in fact I'm one of those dog parents who don't brush their dog's teeth. Oh, it's not for lack of effort, believe me I've tried many times! But honestly it was always a struggle, especially with my Siberian Husky, Icy. She hated it! My efforts at trying to develop a habit of brushing their teeth every day was an Epic Fail.  But you know what? It's OK, because I found a great line of brushless pet dental health products. That's right, I said BRUSHLESS!

Providing dental care for my dogs is easy with the Oratene line of Brushless Pet Oral Care products, by Zymox. With Oratene, my dogs really can have healthy gums, clean teeth, and fresh breath, without brushing! Oratene products are free of antibiotics and other harsh ingredients. These are the best products for dog dental health I've found, and I've tried several brands. 

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Here's how Oratene works to promote Dog Dental Health

The Oratene product line features Enzymatic Brushless Oral Care for pets. That means it uses the power of enzymes to help keep your dog or cats' teeth clean, breath fresh, and gums healthy. These Veterinarian approved products make dog dental care so easy, I have pretty much ditched the dog toothbrush for good!

7 WAYS THE CARONAVIRUS CHANGED LIFE FOR MY DOGS

The Caronavirus Pandemic has changed the world, creating a New Normal in  how people are navigating their daily lives right now.  Mandatory social distancing, excessive handwashing and use of hand sanitizer, and an obsession with purchasing large quantities of toilet paper! But what about the impact COVID19 has had on our pets?  Life has changed for them too!  

The Caronavirus Pandemic has changed life for my dogs too

Although the risk of dogs being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 appears to be extremely low,  animals can be infected with the virus that causes COVID19 ( SARS-CoV-2).  The CDC recommends that people treat pets as you would other family members to protect them against the virus.  Util we know more about how the virus could impact pets, I've made some changes to our dogs' daily routines.

Here are 7 Changes I Felt Compelled to Make in my dogs' lives due to the Caronavirus:

KEEP CAR SEATS CLEAN WITH 4KNINES PET CAR SEAT COVERS

I finally got one! A 4Knines DOG CAR SEAT COVER!  It's been a couple of years now and this car seat cover for dogs has made our lives so much easier, and cleaner.  Pet friendly travel with dogs is always on our radar, so between muddy paws, debris sticking to their fur, and sand from the beach, the back seat of our SUV takes quite a beating! The best way to avoid the hassle and embarrassment of a dirty car is to keep car seats clean with 4knines pet car seat covers.

What I Love About My 4Knines Car Seat Cover For Dogs

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Phoebe thinks our new 4Knines car seat cover is super comfy!

🐕The 4Knines car back seat cover fits my SUV like a glove!  I can tell it's really comfy too, because the dogs settled into it immediately as soon as they jumped onto the car cover for the first time.  The material is durable but it has comfortable cushioned quilting.

🐕I got the back seat cover that accommodates split rear seats.  I love that I can pull down the back seats or the rear car seat console just by unzipping the car seat cover in between the back seats!  That helps us so much.  With my ratty blanket seat cover, we always had to remove the blanket in order to pull down the rear seats. Now we just unzip and pull down the rear seat or console.  We're always hauling stuff in our SUV's cargo.  We usually need to put one or both rear seats down to accommodate large items, so this is a huge convenience.  We can still access seat belts through the seat cover too.

4Knines car seat covers are versatile, easy to clean, and fit like a glove!

🐕 4Knines car seat covers are super easy to clean.  Even if water or dog food spill on the cover, it's fast easy cleanup.  And the seat cover is machine washable!

I used to use an old blanket draped over the back seat, but it never stayed in place and it was constantly filthy.  Vacuuming up pet hair that stuck to the blanket was such a pain.  The blanket invariably got sucked into the vacuum, especially the fringed edges - so frustrating!  When the 4Knines seat cover gets dirty we can easily wipe or vacuum up the mess, hose it down, or throw it in the washing machine.

TIPS TO PREVENT DOG BITES IN KIDS

Spring is in the air! That means spending more time outside, for both dogs and kids.  It's a great time to reinforce child safety around dogs. Kids and dogs can be great friends. However, children should be taught how to safely approach a dog and how to interact safely with dogs. Follow these tips to help prevent dog bites in kids.

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Teach Kids how to properly approach and interact with dogs

According to a study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) approximately 4.7 million dog bites occur each year in the U.S. and nearly 1 in 5 dog bite victims need medical attention.  

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Children are the most common victims of dog bites, with over half of dog bite victims being 14 years old or younger.  Aside from causing painful injury and being traumatic, dog bites can spread germs and cause infections, such as rabies and Tetanus. 

These statistics demonstrate the importance of teaching your child how to recognize stress in dogs and how to safely interact with a dog.  Know the signs yourself as well and always supervise interactions between your kids and dogs.

DOG FRIENDLY GETAWAY IN HISTORIC RHINEBECK, NEW YORK

When the holidays roll around we know it's going to be a busy, stressful time so we try to plan an early pet friendly holiday getaway with the dogs.  We usually go the first few days of December, when holiday decorations are up but before the holiday crowds are in full swing.  For a few years now, our dog friendly holiday vacation has been a few days in the quaint upstate New York town of Rhinebeck.

QUAINT AND HISTORIC, RHINEBECK, NEW YORK IS A PEACEFUL GETAWAY

Rhinebeck has always been a wonderful place for us to get away and unplug, not too far from Manhattan or Long Island.  Our favorite place to stay is the Beekman Arms Inn.  The Beekman Arms, established in 1766, is dubbed the "Oldest Inn in America" and has quite an interesting history.   The hotel consists of several buildings, the most popular being the main Beekman Arms Inn and the Delamater House Inn.  We enjoy staying at both of these beautiful, charming properties.  We've stayed there many times but neither of these properties are a pet friendly hotel so we've had to leave the dogs at home.  😞

Beautiful waterfall, pratically frozen, on one of our walks through the quaint town of Rhinebeck

We love to vacation with our dogs, they are our family, so it was disappointing that we could never take them with us.  I understand why pets are not permitted in the main Beekman Arms Inn or the Delamater House because they are historic inns with upscale furnishings and antiques.  I really can't blame them for not wanting dogs or cats in those unique and special hotel rooms.

DOG FRIENDLY HOTEL IN RHINEBECK, NEW YORK

However, the Beekman Arms does have one building that allows pets, it's called the Guest House, and is described as a "motel style" hotel on property.  We were never able to find photos of this building or the pet friendly rooms online in the past, they just didn't have them which made us suspicious that they might be hideous. Recently though, we found a photo of a dog friendly room at the Guest House on the web site and it didn't look bad at all!  We decided to take a chance and book a dog friendly room in the Beekman Arm's pet friendly Guest House property.  We were pleasantly surprised.  It was a far cry from the beautifully appointed rooms of the main Beekman Inn and the Delamater House, but we really enjoyed staying there.  It was wonderful having our dogs with us in one of our favorite quaint upstate towns!

The pet friendly Guest House building at the Beekman Arms in Rhinebeck, New York.  There's actually a cute courtyard area behind this fence, I'm sorry I didn't get a photo of it.

The Guest House at the Beekman Arms doesn't look like much from the outside.  It's definitely more "motel style", but it was clean and comfortable.  We were just so delighted to be able to finally bring our dogs with us to Rhinebeck!  There don't seem to be any other dog friendly lodgings in the town of Rhinebeck.  Here's a photo collage of our dogs Icy and Phoebe in our Guest House room.

Our pet friendly room in the Guest House property of the Beekman Arms Inn, Rhinebeck NY

GREAT WALKABILITY AND DOG FRIENDLY!

Having our dogs with us on our Rhinebeck getaway was great.  We loved being able to walk through this beautiful little town with Icy and Phoebe.  The sidewalks weren't too crowded and there were several places for both the dogs and us to enjoy together.

There's a lovely little park with a lake at one edge of town, which Icy and Phoebe loved exploring.  The lake runs off into a creek with a waterfall that was partially frozen. It was so pretty!

Just steps from our hotel room we discovered another great dog friendly park with a gravel walking path and a large grassy field.  Each morning and evening we went for nice long walks with the dogs here.  It must be gorgeous when it snows.  Unfortunately it's not an off leash area but we enjoyed it so much.

A wonderful dog friendly park where we took lots of long walks with the dogs

ENJOYING THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT IN RHINEBECK, NEW YORK

The town of Rhinebeck and the Beekman Arms hotel were beautifully decorated for the holidays. This wonderful antique sleigh stood right outside the Beekman Arms Inn so we took advantage of a photo op for Phoebe.  Too bad there wasn't any snow, maybe we could have gone for a sleigh ride!

What, we're not going for a sleigh ride?! 

At night the streets were all lit up with beautiful Christmas lights.  It was so nice to stroll through the town in the evening enjoying all the lights.

Rhinebeck all lit up for the holidays

I love Broadway shows in New York City, but I really enjoy dinner theater too. Great food and a show at the same time - I love it! A wonderful theater company performed A Christmas Carol in dinner theater style and sang Christmas carols right in the Beekman Arms hotel.  We loved it!  The actors and singers were all so talented.  The little boy who played Tiny Tim was such a talent, I won't be at all surprised if I see that kid on broadway one day soon.

The talented theater company performed A Christmas Carol at the Beekman Arms hotel

I hope you enjoyed this post. We love sharing our dog friendly adventures and all the great pet friendly hotels and other places we've taken Icy and Phoebe to.  If you're interested in other dog friendly vacations and pet travel tips, check out more of our Dog Friendly Travel posts.

What dog friendly place can you suggest visiting?  Leave us a comment and share! We love hearing from you. 🐾💖

NO ONE SHOULD LOSE A PRECIOUS PET BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PAY THE VET

It's a pet parent's worst nightmare.  Your dog or cat gets hit by a car, attacked by another animal, or is diagnosed with a life threatening illness. You suddenly realize you can't afford to pay the high cost of Veterinary care that could save your beloved pet's life.  What happens if you can't afford critical vet care, do you have any options?  

🐩 No one should have to say goodbye to a pet they love and cherish because they can't afford critical Veterinary care.

A few years back while volunteering for the Phoenix county animal shelter, a woman brought in a beautiful German Shepherd.  He was clearly an older dog. I always have a soft spot for senior pets so I went over to greet them. The woman was sobbing because she had to surrender her precious dog to the shelter.  

I can't imagine being faced with saying goodbye to one of my pets because I couldn't afford veterinary care.  What could be more heartbreaking?

I said "Don't worry, we'll take great care of him and find him a loving home".  The woman just shook her head.  She didn't speak, she just gave our Intake staff member the dog and quickly left, still sobbing. The dog had a cancerous tumor and she was dropping him off to be euthanized.  She couldn't afford treatment and there wasn't an available rescue to help pay for it.  She couldn't even afford to have him euthanized at a Veterinarian's office.

I was so shocked.  I couldn't believe she had to leave him there to die.  I could see it tore her apart to leave her dog like that, I felt horrible, especially for the dog. I knew that being unable to pay for expensive Veterinary care is often one of the reasons people surrender pets to a shelter.  I didn't judge. I wasn't walking in her shoes so I couldn't know the circumstances she was in that led her to believe she had no other choice.

I cried all the way home that day.  I still think about that sweet dog and wonder why nothing could be done for him.

In the animal health world, the gut-wrenching choice to say goodbye to a pet primarily because pet owners can't afford Veterinary care is known as "Economic Euthanasia".  

Because no pet parent should have to say goodbye to a pet they love and cherish when they can't afford life saving Veterinary care

This post is sponsored by Waggle® . I am being compensated to share information about  Waggle, a crowdfunding organization that helps families who can't afford Veterinary care for their pets. As always, Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them only shares information we feel is relevant and helpful to our readers.

🐕 "Each year, an estimated 500,000 pet guardians in the U.S. face a harrowing moment: The realization that the potentially life-saving treatment their pet needs is beyond their reach." -Waggle

Waggle is a crowd funding platform that provides a much needed service for people who are at risk of not being able to afford critical medical care for their beloved pet. Waggle partners directly with Veterinary providers, nonprofits and pet parents to help provide options and second chances for cherished pets.

🐶Waggle's mission is to  "Provide a last-chance safety net for pets in medical crisis by creating a network-based solution to end economic euthanasia of pets" 🐱

We've all seen requests in email or on social media from various crowdfunding sites, some non-profit and some for-profit. A dog or cat has a serious injury or illness and the pet owner can't afford Veterinary care, so they reach out to the public for monetary donations.

In cases where we know the pet or their owner we want to answer the call for help and donate.  However, sometimes the  pet and owner are total strangers.  I don't know about you, but when I don't know the pet or their family, I'm suspicious.  Sadly, the internet is fraught with deception, and online requests for monetary or other donations are no exception. How do we know the need is real and that the person making the donation request isn't a spammer? The truth is, we don't.

Waggle is the only pet-dedicated crowdfunding platform that partners directly with leading veterinary providers, non-profits and pet parents.  This process verifies the recipient and ensures the need for help to pay for critical vet care is real. 

The partnership between Waggle and it's Veterinary partners ensures that funds go directly to the pet's medical care.  This gives me confidence!

Waggle has many pet success stories, one of which is Cece a six year old Portuguese Water Dog from Connecticut. Cece had been playing in the yard with a neighbor's dog when she suddenly collapsed.  She couldn't stand or put weight on her back leg.  When her family took her to the veterinarian, they discovered Cece needed surgery to remove a damaged ligament in her knee.  A "false" ligament then had to be inserted to stabilize her joint. Afterwards she would need weeks of rehabilitation and therapy. Waggle helped raise $2,000 to help get Cece the critical veterinary care that would help her walk normally again.

Adorable Cece, cuddling with the human sister who loves her to pieces!

Cece's owners Tom and Margaret had this to say in appreciation of the help they received from generous donors, Waggle, and their expert veterinary partners:

"Tom and I want to thank everyone for their donations and get well wishes for our Cece. She is home from The Saybrook Veterinary Hospital and is doing well. We would especially like to thank Dr. Suzanne Magruder of the Saybrook Veterinary Hospital for telling us about Dr. White who performed Cece`s knee surgery. Dr. Magruder also initiated us to get financial help through Waggle Org. We also want to thank the whole staff of the Saybrook Veterinary Hospital. Their kindness and help was greatly appreciated."  --Tom & Margaret Mazzella

You can read more about Cece's  heartwarming story here.

A heart wrenching story was Kenji, a 2 year old Welsh Pembroke Corgi who needed $1,200 to treat severe wounds following a viscous attack by another dog.

Kenji is a sweet, gentle dog who touches the heart of everyone he meets.  A neighbor's dog escaped out the front door of his house and attacked Kenji, unprovoked.  The dog's owner tried to get him off Kenji but to no avail. It took several minutes for the dog to let go of poor Kenji.  Following the attack Kenji's wounds were severe and he was rushed to the animal hospital for immediate treatment.

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Sweet Kenji, viciously attacked by a neighbor's dog.

Kenji needed surgery to clean and drain his wounds.  Although he was sent home with drains inserted in the affected areas, after a few days his condition worsened and he had to return to the hospital.  This poor sweet boy needed more surgery!  Kenji will need numerous follow-up visits and constant attention for quite some time as he fights to fully recover.

Read more about Kenji's frightening ordeal here.

I can't even imagine how frightened Kenji's mom must have been seeing her furbaby viciously attacked like that and fearing for his life.  What a nightmare.  I'm so glad Waggle was able to help Kenji's family fund the critical veterinary care he needed.

LEARN ABOUT THE PROCESS OF HOW WAGGLE WORKS AND WHAT MAKES WAGGLE  DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CROWDFUNDING SITES

Visit Waggle on Social Media and follow along with more of Waggle's success stories to see how they are changing lives for pets and their owners.

TWITTER           INSTAGRAM           FACEBOOK

Providing critical funding for pet parents at risk of losing their beloved pet, simply because they can't afford critical Veterinary care.

Do you ever worry about not being able to afford critical Veterinary care?  Please leave us a comment and share your thoughts!

WALK YOUR WAY TO BETTER HEALTH WITH YOUR PET

For many years, I've been a believer that pets contribute greatly to the overall health and well being of humans.  Pets and the Human-Animal Bond benefit people in so many ways!

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Walking my way to better health with my dogs, Icy and Phoebe during Pet Partners' World's Largest Pet Walk event.

A scientific statement by the American Heart Association assessed the influence of pet ownership (mainly dog or cat) on the presence and reduction of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk factors.  

Among other things, the American Heart Assoc. statement included that:

> Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.  Despite efforts promoting primary and secondary CVD prevention, obesity and physical inactivity remain at epidemic proportions.

> More than 60% of American adults are overweight or obese, and more than 50% don't perform recommended levels of physical activity.

> Pets, especially dogs, can provide increased physical activity.

Studies have shown that dog owners engage in more walking and other physical activity, and are more likely to achieve recommended levels of physical activity than non dog owners.  

Even better, people are lacing up their walking shoes for other pets too!  I see cats in walking harnesses walking towards better health with their people.  I also see dogs, cats and other pets riding in strollers, taking in the sights and sniffs as they help their people get more exercise by walking, running, and biking.

Walking provides health benefits for both pets and their people!

I participate in the Pet Partners World's Largest Pet Walk, an annual event that celebrates the health benefits of walking with pets.  It's a simple event to join.  People from around the world pledge to walk with their pets, starting at a synchronized date and time and ending whenever each participant feels comfortable.  

It doesn't cost anything to join and you can walk anywhere you like!  Invite anyone with or without a pet to join you.  It's a simple way to raise awareness of the health benefits of walking with our pets. Easy-Peasy!  The next Pet Partners walk is on September 25, 2021. Sign up and mark your calendars for the Worlds Largest Pet Walk .  Icy and I are a Pet Partners Therapy Dog team and we can't wait to resume our visits following the COVID19 Pandemic.

Walking is great for both human and pet health!  In people, it can improve cardiovascular fitness and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.  Walking is also attributed to stronger bones and muscle strength. 

My parents lived in New York City for much of their lives.  Walking is a way of life in NYC. Keeping a car in such a crowded city is a hassle so most people don't have a car, they walk everywhere.  When my parents moved to the suburbs, they actively looked for opportunities to walk more.  They went for long walks in all the local parks and beaches, took evening strolls in the neighborhood, and often opted to walk to stores instead of driving.  

Although my parents were 5 years apart in age, they both lived to be 94.  I'm sure their lifelong habit of walking, as well as their love of fresh fruit and salads, helped them get to 94.  I am so blessed to have had my parents in my life for so long.  I'm sure you want the same for your family!

Other benefits pets can provide to people are:

🐶 Pets can help lower your blood pressure.

🐾 Pets can help reduce stress and anxiety, which can actually help reduce pain!

🐶 Pets make us feel good, prompting the release of the "feel good" hormones Dopamine, Serotonin, and Endorphins.

🐾 It's been documented that pet owners have higher one-year survival rates following heart attacks.

🐾 Studies in Austria and Germany have linked healthcare savings to pet ownership, reducing the number of  doctor visits needed.

Sources: Dr. Marty Becker, Pet Partners, and HABRI (Human Animal Bond Research Institute)

Our pets give us so much.  In addition to contributing to our health and well being, they give us the one thing only a pet can give - Unconditional Love!  Be thankful for the pets in your life. I know I am, my dogs are my greatest joy!

My UNCONDITIONAL LOVE of pets sweatshirt hoodie is perfect for walking your dog in style.  The design was created by Brooklyn artist MendyDraws, exclusively for Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them.  Can you tell Icy was the inspiration behind this design?

You can find this sweatshirt, and other products bearing our Unconditional Love design in my online store

Sweatshirts, Phone Cases, Mugs, Tote Bags, Leggings, and T-Shirts.

We'd love to hear how you stay active with your pet. Leave us a comment and share!

WHY MY CAT SUDDENLY STARTED PEEING OUTSIDE THE LITTER BOX

Cats peeing outside the litter box seems to be a common issue among cat owners.  As I was reading a fellow blogger's post on reasons why a cat may be toileting outside the litter box, I was reminded of my cat Maggie - and the one and only time her litter box skills experienced an Epic Fail.

John and I had just gotten engaged and we were elated!  It was something we'd been talking about for at least a year, and we had finally sealed the deal.  Everyone was happy for us, and excited for our upcoming wedding the following year!

LOVE ME, LOVE MY CAT/DOG/RABBIT AND ANY OTHER PETS, RIGHT?

Shortly after meeting John, I had been so happy - and a little bit relieved, to be honest - when I learned that not only did he love cats, but he quickly fell for my beautiful sweet Calico cat Maggie.    

And Maggie loved him right back!  Or did she??  On the surface, she seemed to adore John.  She loved when he pet her, she rubbed against his legs, and snuggled with him on the couch.  She sometimes even napped on top of his tummy!

Tell me this isn't the body language of a cat who loves the owner upon whose tummy she naps peacefully?!

Maggie and I owned the home we lived in while John had been renting his, so it made perfect sense for him to move into our home.  Much of his "guy stuff" had to be moved into the basement because there wasn't enough room to accommodate our combined stuff.  OK, so part of the reason was that some of his guy stuff was just plain UGLY!  Ladies, you know what I'm talkin' about, don't you?

The move went smoothly and we happily settled into our new daily routine.  Nothing was amiss, until John went down to the basement one day to retrieve one of his ugly guy possessions ... and discovered that sweet little Maggie had apparently been peeing and pooping all over his stuff!   Anything that wasn't secured in a plastic container was ruined - YIKES!  

We could not believe our eyes, or the assault on our noses!  Maggie had never soiled outside the litter box before, how could she have done such a thing?! Was Maggie just a two faced feline pretending to love John while deep down resenting his intrusion on our previously perfect little world of two?  Or, was there a logical explanation for her pissy  hissy fit of suddenly urinating and defecating outside her litter box?  Was she trying to TELL us something?

If your cat is suddenly urinating and defecating outside the litter box, there's usually a reason!

Hmmm.  We thought about what might have prompted this bad kitty behavior, and the reason soon became clear.  Prior to John's ugly guy stuff invading a large corner of the basement, that space had belonged to Maggie alone.  It was her own little Fiefdom, her Cat Cave.  Her litter box was down there, along with some toys and a cozy bed.  She loved to creep up inside the rafters of the basement ceiling - I never did understand how the heck she managed to get up there - hiding and observing my laundry and crafting activities from her ceiling perch.

When the ugly guy stuff arrived it must have really cramped her style and stuck in her claw!  So she protested in the only way she knew how - by urinating and pooping all over the offending items!

Fortunately, my husband has a heart of gold and a soft spot for cats.  He didn't get angry or lash out at her (or me!), he simply dealt with it and we moved on having learned a valuable lesson!  You don't mess with the Cat's Crib.

COMMON REASONS CATS PEE OUTSIDE THE LITTER BOX

MEDICAL ISSUE: A trip to the Vet can identify, or rule out, a UTI or other medical problem.

UNAPPEALING LITTER BOX: You've gotten a New litter box and she doesn't like it, her litter box isn't Clean enough, or you Moved the box to a location your cat doesn't like.

EMOTIONAL OR BEHAVIORAL ISSUE: Something is upsetting, stressing, or frightening your cat for some reason. It could be furniture being moved or changed, something outside a nearby window such as a scary animal, or as we found out the hard way, someone has moved Ugly Guy Stuff into their coveted space!

So if your cat starts to urinate and defecate outside the litter box don't get mad, do some detective work and Find Out Why it's happening!

Have you ever had to deal with the issue of cats toileting outside their litter box?  How did you handle it?  Tell us about it in the Comments!  We always appreciate hearing your thoughts & feedback.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like:

Have you been longing to add a feline to your family but won't because you're allergic to cats?  How I got Relief From Cat Allergies and Kept My Cats!

I got Maggie as a 9 week old kitten. While I was waiting for her to be ready for adoption I "accidentally" adopted another cat!  How my Accidental Pet Adoption turned out to be a joy and a blessing!

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A Simple Trick To Give Your Dog A Pill By Mouth

My dogs don't have to take pet medications very often, especially in pill format.  The occasional need for an antibiotic and their monthly heartworm preventative medication are the only medications my dogs need, thankfully.  However, I wanted to share a creative way to give a dog a pill with food your dog probably already eats.  My cousin's Veterinarian shared this pill giving tip with her and now I'd like to share it with you!

GIVING YOUR DOG A PILL BY MOUTH CAN BE A STRUGGLE

Even if it's infrequent, giving your dog a pill can be a struggle.  You slather it with peanut butter or cream cheese, you hide it in their food, you may even stick it in the very back of their throat or use a "pill dropper", hold their snout closed and tilt their head back trying to get your dog to swallow the pill. 

Even after those stealth pill giving attempts your pet may eat all the peanut butter or cream cheese around it and spit out the pill.  Or your dog might remain stark still while you practically wrestle him to the ground trying to get the pill to the back of his throat, but then find a way to gag or spit the pill out anyway.  Or you think you've hidden the pill in your dog's food but he smells it immediately and refuses to eat at all.

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Make giving your pet medications in pill form easier!

It's difficult when there's an occasional need to give your dog a pill, but imagine how hard it must be for dogs or cats who need daily medication in pill form long term! 

What's a Dog Mom to do?  

Pill Pockets you buy in the pet store may make it easier but they can be expensive. For ongoing daily pet medication administration of pills that's a lot of extra cost and calories added to your dog's diet.

HOW TO GIVE YOUR DOG A PILL USING A DOG FOOD MEATBALL

My cousin Grace shared a tip with me that her Veterinarian recommended when her pill hating Scottish Terrier needed 10 days of medication.  He suggested making a simple Meatball Pill Pocket using canned dog food she already feeds her dog. 

🐶 Place a can of dog food in the fridge to harden and chill.  Make sure it's a canned food your dog likes to eat, and one you can scoop out and roll into a ball!  It shouldn't be too wet or have gravy in it.

🐶 Scoop out 4 tablespoons of the canned food and roll each one into a ball in your hands, just like making a meatball.  Make 4 of these dog food "meatballs".

🐶 Insert the pill you need to give your dog into the middle of one of the "meatballs".  The other 3 meatballs won't have a pill inside.

🐶 Start by giving your dog one of the meatballs that doesn't have the pill in it.  Then give him a second meatball without the pill inside as soon as he swallows the first meatball.  Make it fun like you're giving your dog a special treat, and praise him!

🐶 As soon as he swallows the second meatball, give your dog the third meatball, which should be the one with the pill inside it.  After scarfing down the first two yummy meatballs and being praised for it, your dog will be anticipating the third yummy meatball and happily gobble it up!

🐶 Finish by giving your dog the last meatball without the pill in it.  That will end your pet medication session on a fun and positive note!

My dog Phoebe thinks Pet Medications are no fun!

This technique can be used for cats as well as dogs.  Just adjust the size of the meatball, making it smaller for small dogs or cats.

BONE APPETIT !!

You may also enjoy some tips on how I handled my allergies living with two cats  and the Dangers of Tick Borne Illnesses to Dogs. 


Have you ever had to give your dog or cat medication in pill form?  Was it easy or did you struggle?  Tell us about it in the comments, and if you have a pill giving tip, please share it!

VISIT THE MOST POPULAR DOG FRIENDLY NATIONAL AND STATE PARKS

As most of you know, we travel a lot with our dogs Icy and Phoebe so we're always on the lookout for the best dog friendly places. I'm delighted to introduce you to Nichole, my Guest Blogger from DogVills . 

Nichole is the Editor In Chief at DogVills, a blog about all things dog, including dog training tips, dog health tips, dog news, dog recipes and more.  Nichole loves to travel with her dogs too and she has graciously offered to share some of the Most Popular dog friendly National and State Parks in the U.S.  So, Take it away Nichole!

NICOLE from DOGVILLS:

"I love taking my dogs on outings with me! I’m always looking for places like hotels, restaurants and stores that allow dogs so that I can bring them with me everywhere I go! While I’m used to the challenge of finding indoor spaces that allow pets, I was shocked to discover how difficult it is to find dog-friendly national and state parks!

Did you know that most parks either have very restrictive pet policies or ban them entirely? In some parks, you can’t even drive through the entrance with a dog in the car! Don’t worry, though, we’ve rounded up the top dog-friendly national and state parks in the United States to make planning a vacation with your pooch a little easier!

DOG FRIENDLY NATIONAL PARKS

There are 60 national parks and over 10,300 state parks in the United States.  Together, they spread out across over 18 million acres! While the vast majority of them don’t allow dogs, there are a few that welcome our canine companions! Just remember that even the most dog-friendly national parks have rules about where you can take your dog. Make sure you learn and follow them, so these parks don’t have a reason to ban dogs entirely.

    Acadia National Park- Acadia National Park, established in 1919, is in the state of Maine, just southwest of Bar Harbor. The park sits on 49,075.26 acres and sees approximately 3,509,271 visitors annually. Arcadia National Park features an array of lakes, mountains, shorelines and woodlands.

   BadlandsNational Park- Badlands National Park, founded in 1978, is found in southwestern South Dakota, near Rapid City. The park sits on 242,755.94 acres and sees approximately 1,054,325 visitors annually. Several movies have been filmed in the Badlands National Park, including the 1990 Dances with Wolves, the 1997 Starship Troopers and the 2007 National Treasure: Book of Secrets.

   Cuyahoga Valley National Park- Cuyahoga Valley National Park, conceived in 2000, is based in northeastern Ohio, along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland. The park sits on 32,572.35 acres and sees approximately 2,226,879 visitors annually. The national park features more than 125 miles of hiking trails, as well as an array of caves, rolling hills, waterfalls and winding rivers.

   Grand Canyon National Park- Grand Canyon National Park, originated in 1919, is set in northwestern Arizona, in Coconino and Mohave counties. The park sits on 1,201,647.03 acres and sees approximately 6,254,238 visitors annually. The park’s main feature is the Grand Canyon, a gorge that was carved out by the Colorado River.

   Great Sand Dunes National Park- Great Sand Dunes National Park, founded in 2004, is in south-central Colorado, in Alamosa and Saguache counties. The park sits on 107,341.87 acres and sees approximately 486,935 visitors annually. The national park is home to North America’s tallest sand dunes, reaching heights of 750 feet.

   Mammoth Cave National Park- Mammoth Cave National Park, formed in 1941, is situated in central Kentucky, in Barren, Edmonson and Hart counties. The park sits on 54,011.91 acres and sees approximately 587,853 visitors annually. The park surrounds parts of the Mammoth Caves, the world’s longest cave system, which measures 405 miles in length.

   North Cascades National Park- North Cascades National Park, created in 1968, is positioned in Washington, in Chelan, Skagit and Whatcom counties. The park sits on 504,780.94 acres and sees approximately 30,326 visitors annually. North Cascades National Park features an expansive glacial system, forested valleys, numerous waterways and rugged mountain peaks.

   Shenandoah National Park- Shenandoah National Park, established in 1935, is situated in Virginia, surrounding part of the state’s Blue Ridge Mountains. The park sits on 199,217.77 acres and sees approximately 1,458,874 visitors annually. Shenandoah National Park features some impressive waterfalls, ranging in height from 28 feet to 93 feet.

   Yosemite National Park- Yosemite National Park, founded in 1890 is set in California, in Madera, Mariposa and Tuolumne counties. The park sits on 761,747.50 acres and sees approximately 4,336,890 visitors annually. The world-renowned park is famous for its biological diversity, clear streams, granite cliffs and sequoia groves.

   Zion National Park - Zion National Park, conceived in 1919, is found in southwestern Utah, in Iron, Kane and Washington counties. The park sits on 147,237.02 acres and sees approximately 4,504,812 visitors annually. The park features 4 life zones: coniferous forest, desert, riparian and woodland.

DOG FRIENDLY STATE PARKS

Abilene State Park- Abilene State Park is in Taylor County, Texas. The 529.4-acre park features camping areas, hiking trails, picnic areas and a swimming pool.

Hot Springs State Park- Hot Springs State Park is in Hot Springs County, Wyoming. The 1,108.67-acre park features hot springs that constantly flow at a temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Huntington Beach State Park- Huntington Beach State Park is in Georgetown County, South Carolina. The 2,500-acre park is popular for its large sandy beach and countless wild birds.

Itasca State Park- Itasca State Park is in Becker, Clearwater and Hubbard counties, within the state of Minnesota. The 32,690-acre park is home to more than 200 species of wild birds.

Lost Dutchman State Park- Lost Dutchman State Park is in Pinal County, Arizona. The 320-acre park is named after the legendary Lost Dutchman Gold Mines.

Oak Mountain State Park- Oak Mountain State Park is in Shelby County, Alabama. The 9,940-acre park is home to the Alabama Wildlife Center and the Oak Mountain BMX Track.

Tuttle Creek State Park- Tuttle Creek State Park is in the state of Kansas. The 1,200-acre park features an artificial beach, camping sites and nature trails.

Remember, the rules vary at each of these dog-friendly national and state parks, so make sure you take the time to learn them! We want to be considerate pet parents so we don’t ruin the fun for anyone else."

Thank You for sharing all this great pet travel information Nichole! It will be so helpful in planning dog friendly vacations to National and State Parks.  I'm glad you included the point of following the individual rules for each of these parks, as they do vary and most have some restricted access for dogs.  One example is that Grand Canyon National Park allows dogs but they don't allow them to hike down the canyon with you, dogs must remain up on the rim.

I hope you enjoyed Nichole's dog travel post as much as I did. You can read more from Nichole on the DogVills blog.  Happy Trails & Happy Tails!!

Icy on one of our many trips to dog friendly Sedona, Arizona

You may also like these Icy and Phoebe approved DOG FRIENDLY TRAVEL DESTINATIONS!

Have you been to any of these parks with your pet?  Tell us about it in the comments, we LOVE hearing from you!!