Tybee Island Road Trip -- Day 1

ROAD TRIP! Those words are music to every dog's ears. And this road trip would not be our usual excursion to the grocery store -- or worse -- the vet. We were headed off for a long- awaited trip to Tybee, one of the islands off the coast of Georgia. It would be a nice break from the 5 cats we share the house with. Buster and I know our place in the pecking order: they rule the roost.

The car was packed and we were ready to roll, but mom had to do one last tail count before we left town. She was missing one tail belonging to Mackie. After searching all his favorite hiding places, Mackie was M.I.A. Though he is our chief tormentor, he's family. He might be sick, and we couldn't leave town without knowing he was allright. The can opener and tuna fish did not roust him from his hiding spot, so mom cooked up a stinky brew of shrimp and anchovies, which the other cats loved but still no Mackie. Now we were all getting worried. Several hours later, mom gave up and left to run some errands. When she got back, Mackie sauntered down the steps like nothing happened. As the saying goes, "Cats were once worshipped as gods. Cats never have forgotten this."

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Atlanta and great weather for a trip. We were finally off! Backseat territory squabbles are not confined to children. Buster, the little squirt, hogged more than he needed. It's a terrier thing. Once we settled on our dog beds on the back seat, we watched the view for about the first 10 miles. The Georgia scenery doesn't change much from Atlanta to the coast. It's a steady line of pine trees, plus it was nap time. Buster and I dozed off. After several blissful hours, we woke up just outside of Savannah to the fresh scent of salty air

Fifteen minutes later, we were on the wonderful island of Tybee and ready to start our adventure. We were staying at one of the many colorful Mermaid Cottages scattered throughout the island. Ours was just 2 blocks from the dog park and had a great fenced in yard that we could check out from the back porch.



Almost all the Mermaid properties are pet-friendly, which is hard to find in many beach destinations. We even had a large welcome basket waiting for us when we arrived, stuffed with treats and everything we needed to stay perfectly coifed at the beach. We love this place already!

Pet First Aid Kit

Every home with animals should have a pet first aid kit. It is very easy to put one together and will come in handy for emergency treatment until you can get your pet to the vet.

I also recommend taking it with you when you travel with your pets, especially if you are traveling to a remote location with no animal emergency clinic nearby or store where you can purchase first aid supplies. Treating your animal immediately will help minimize his discomfort and could reduce the threat of infection or uncontrollable bleeding -- which can also lower your vet bill if he needs professional treatment.

Here is what you will need for your kit:

• Hydorgen peroxide -- for cuts, wounds, and poisonings


• Betadine solution -- a non-stinging iodine for cleaning wounds


• Neosporin ointment -- antibiotic for burns and scrapes


• Pepto Bismol liquid -- for vomiting


• Milk of Magnesia -- for constipation


• Thermometer -- rectal type


• Bandages -- telfa coated gauze pads, flexible gauze roll, and elastic tape


• Cotton balls


• Q-tips


• Scissors -- for cutting bandages


• Antiseptic wipes -- for personal clean-up


• Latex gloves -- to reduce the threat of infection

And if you want to go the easy route, you can always buy one at VSI Pet Care Products, which has a complete line of kits for dogs, cats, horses, birds, and barn animals. The kits also include step-by-step instructions on how to administer first aid to animals.

What to Do If You Have Lost or Found A Pet

If you have lost or found a pet, here is a handy template for creating signs in PowerPoint that can be printed from a color printer. Best places to distribute the flyers are:

• the neighborhood where the pet was found or went missing
  
• local veterinarians' billboards. Have the pet scanned while you are at the clinic to see if it has a microchip


• neighborhood association email distribution lists (many pets in my neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods have been happily reunited through our email list)


• animal shelters and rescues in your area
  

For added durability, laminate flyers that will be posted outdoors at a local copy shop, which can be done for less than $2.00 apiece.

Be sure to keep the phone number very large so readers will be able to easily jot it down as they drive by.

I hope no one ever has to deal with the trauma of a lost pet. To ensure that you don't, keep a current id tag with your phone number on your pet's collar at all times and have your pet microchipped. It is also a good idea to be sure that your pet sitter has a current photo of your pet.

The Perfect Valentine for a Pet Lover -- or Your Pet

Best Friends Animal Society is offering e-Valentine cards for a donation of $25 or more. You can sponsor just about any type of animal, from a dog or cat, to a rabbit, horse, or duck.

Located in Kanab, Utah, Best Friends is home to over 1,500 animals that have been abandoned or are unadoptable. They are a no-kill shelter, and because of their size, are called upon to help in every natural disaster that displaces animals.

So give a Valentine's Day present this year that will make a difference and delight the pet lover or pet on your list.

Check out Best Friends' mission, and their National Geographic series, "Dogtown".

What You May Not Know about Greenie Treats

I was chatting with several dog owners recently about what they feed their dogs after the pet food scare from a year ago, and someone mentioned Greenies. These popular treats are still on the store shelves, but veternarians have raised some alarming concerns about feeding these treats to dogs. Though they are labeled as "fully digestible", that may not be the case, and a number of pet owners believe the treats were responsible for their pet's death. If you feed your dogs Greenies, you may want to check out this story on CNN, "Dog Treats Killed Our Pets".

Dalmaitian and Clydesdale Vingnette Takes Top Spot in Super Bowl Ads

Here is the link for the heart-warming Clydesdale Team ad of how an underdog (or Clydesdale in this case) triumphs over all.

Simple Simon's Birthday Bones

These easy-to-make pet treats are a favorite of my crew and make a great present for the pet birthday party or a unique hostess gift for the animal lover.

To make these tasty treats, you will need:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup natural peanut butter*
• 1 cup skim milk

*Note: Most brands of natural peanut butter do not contain sugar, which is an ingredient that is not recommended for canine diets.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. in another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk. Add wet mixture to dry and mix well.

Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out to a 1/4-inch thick and cut in shapes.

Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Makes 24-30 treats.

From: Three Dog Bakery Cookbook, 2001.