Now that you’ve read The Summertime Pet Safety Series parts I (The Dog Days of Summer) and II (Summertime Festive Food Safety), let’s move onto the final topic of pet-safe car travel.

Summertime presents abundant opportunities to get outside; far more than permitted during winter’s chilly months. Sunny skies and balmy weather motivate plans for adventurous road trips, oftentimes with our pets. When planning your trip, pet-safe transport should be a top priority if you’re taking Fido or Fluffy along for the ride!

Clinical Signs of Travel Stress

Whether it’s obvious or subtle, any type of travel (plane, train, or automobile) puts stress on your pet. Obvious signs of travel related stress include:

Subtle signs of travel associated stress are:

If your pet reacts negatively to car travel then a road trip is probably not the best option. Stress negatively impacts multiple body systems due to the release of steroid hormones (cortisol, etc) and other stimulating substances (epinephrine, etc). Excess steroid hormones hinder the immune system’s ability to fight infection and manage inflammation (arthritis, etc), while epinephrine (adrenaline) elevates heart rate and blood pressure. In this scenario, leaving your dog or cat with a trusted caretaker is healthier than subjecting them to the potential negative health implications associated with travel.

Should You Sedate Your Pet?

Veterinary prescribed sedatives (Acepromazine, Alprazolam,etc), over the counter medications (Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride= Benadryl) and natural products (Rescue Remedy Pet, Spirit Essences, etc) can help take off the stressful edge associated with travel. Consult your veterinarian about the appropriate use of such products for your pet. Before your trip, participate in a trial run with the chosen product to gauge your pet’s response. Typically, a tired pet is more prone to sleep during travel, so try to provide vigorous exercise within the 24 hours prior to your departure.

Food or No Food?

If your canine or feline companion is prone to motion sickness, withhold food and large volumes of water before departure. Skipping a meal is less harmful on a pet’s body than the esophageal and oral irritation caused by the eruption of acidic stomach contents and the potential for aspiration (inhalation of food or liquids).

Proper Pet Restraint

If your pets are natural born adventurers or have been acclimated to traveling, then bring them along for the ride. Ensuring safe car travel for the driver and passengers (both human and animal) by using a restraining device is essential. Without the appropriate restraint, your pet is free to wander the car’s cabin causing a significant driving distraction and subjecting them to trauma from an accident. Even a minor fender bender can cause life threatening injuries when a pet is suddenly thrust forward or out of a window.

The best options for restraint are a seat belt harness or a rigid carrier. Medium to large dogs are typically more suitable candidates for a seat belt harness, which provides confinement to the seat’s boundaries. Smaller dogs and cats should travel in a carrier, which should be strapped or hooked down.

Climate Control and Human Observation

Unlike humans, dogs and cats lack the ability to efficiently expel heat through their skin. The respiratory tract is their primary means of excreting heat, which is why you may notice an increased respiratory rate or pant in warm weather.

A Stanford University Medical Center study published in Pediatrics reports that a “car’s interior can heat up by an average of 40 degrees F within an hour, regardless of ambient temperature. Eighty percent of the temperature rise occurred within the first half-hour”. As your car’s interior temperature increases, so will your dog or cat’s body temperature. A dangerously high level (hyperthermia) can occur after only a short time and can cause your pet to suffer the severe effects of heat related illness, including collapse, abnormal blood clotting, multi-organ system failure, seizures and death.

Unforeseeable circumstances may keep you occupied longer than initially anticipated, so never leave your pet unattended in a non-climate controlled car, even on a relatively cool day. Additionally, provide continuous circulating ventilation with air conditioning during your trip.

Frequent stops can help to reduce stress by providing your pet with a change of scenery and the opportunity to hydrate, urinate and defecate. As the chosen break site will be unfamiliar and holds the potential for a variety of unknown dangers, always use a leash.

These pet-safe travel tips have year-round applications, so use them during winter, spring, summer, and fall. Happy Travels!

Knee pain is the most common complaint from those with joint pain. In previous articles, we established that strengthening the stabilizer muscles around your knees will help ease your pain. The knee is supported by the quadriceps (quads), hamstrings and calf muscles.

The hamstrings are often neglected because many people perform exercises that focus only on strengthening the aesthetically pleasing muscles such as the quadriceps and gluteus muscles. This approach to exercise is not conducive for individuals with conditions such as chronic knee arthritis who are trying to improve mobility and alleviate joint pain in the knees. These individuals should engage in functional strength training, which is an approach to exercise where you focus on proportionally strengthening all the joint-stabilizing muscles of the body and not just the muscles you see in the mirror.  This post will focus on functional strength training exercises for the hamstrings to help prevent knee joint injuries, inflammation and deterioration.

The hamstrings make up the second largest set of muscles that stabilize and absorb shock for the knees, the first being the quadriceps. When neglected, the hamstrings become weak and as a result the posterior portion of the knee becomes less able to absorb impact. Over time, people with weak hamstrings begin to compensate with their quadriceps and calves without even realizing it and sacrifice proper form and movement. When muscles have to compensate for a weaker counterpart to stabilize a joint during movement, it places extra stress on that particular portion of the joint rather than evenly distributing the stress. This lack of proportionate strength between the stabilizing muscles of the knee can be easily corrected through functional strength training.

The hamstrings run along the posterior side of the thigh and stabilize the posterior portion of the knee. There are three major muscles that make up the hamstring which connect your fibula and tibia bones of the lower leg to your ischial tuberosity (lower portion of the pelvic bone). These three muscles allow for knee flexion and hip extension. Knee flexion occurs when you bend your leg at the knee toward your gluteus, known as a leg curl. Hip extension occurs when you bend your leg straight back behind you at the hips, rather than at the knee. These are the types of functional movements that someone with severe knee pain should perform to increase hamstring strength which will improve overall mobility.

There are three functional hamstring exercises recommended by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) to concentrate on improving the strength of the hamstring. These exercises can be performed at home with no equipment if you do not have access to a gym. Listed by difficulty level with 1 being the easiest, I recommend you begin with the first exercise to assess pain level:

1. Supine Hamstring Stretch

2. Prone Straight-Leg Raise

3. Hamstring Curl

It is important to always warm up your leg muscles by doing at least 5-10 minutes of a low impact aerobic activity such as brisk walking or biking before performing these exercises. Also be sure to follow all recommendations given by AAOS before engaging in these exercises.

Remember, strength training is about a slow, steady progression which is especially important for individuals with arthritis and joint pain. As you become more comfortable performing these exercises, you can add weight, increase repetitions and try more advanced exercises. A well planned, long-term exercise program, coupled with a healthy diet supplemented with Flexcin will ensure you experience a much higher quality of life. Stayed tuned for the next functional strength training tips where we will cover exercises for the calves and hips to help support your knees!

If you have any questions about exercises for your knees, e-mail me at justin@flexcin.net.

Summertime Safety Series (Part II)

In the first part of FlexPet’s Summertime Pet Safety Series (see The Dog Days of Summer), we explored the environmental and climate related concerns associated with warmer weather. In this next part of the series we will cover the health concerns surrounding food focused celebrations that are synonymous with summertime fun.

Who doesn't love a barbecue to celebrate Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or any given Sunday afternoon? Although cookouts are quite enjoyable for people, they can be dangerous for pets.

Grills top my list for potential backyard dangers due to the high likelihood that thermal burns will occur upon contact with your pet’s skin or fur. Only grill from a height elevated above that which your pet can easily reach. Hibachi style grills placed on the ground or in other areas of easy access put your pet in the direct line of fire.

Depending on the type and duration of exposure, a pet may suffer first, second, or third degree burns.

First-degree burns

• Affect the fur and top layer of skin
• Cause pain at the affected site
• Appear red (erythema) with warmth to the touch

Second-degree burns

• Affect the fur and the top to deeper layers of skin
• Cause pain at the affected site
• Appear pale to tan and warm or cool to the touch (due to changes in blood flow)

Third-degree burns

• Affect and involve loss of fur and multiple layers of skin
• Cause decreased pain at the affected site (due to severe tissue and nerve damage)
• Appear extremely red, charred (black) or tan to white (due to lack of blood flow)
• Compromise the health of other organs besides the skin, including the heart/lungs, digestive tract, and immune system (infection, inflammation)

The delectable aroma of barbecued foods creates serious instinctual attraction for curious canine noses and mouths seeking a taste. Besides the heat and fire from the grill, the freshly cooked, hot-off-the-grill foods can also cause skin or oral (tongue, gums) burns if consumed.

With suspected or known confirmations of burns, immediately pursue treatment through a veterinarian.

Foods left out for preparation or serving are also an easy target for pets. Keep food elevated to a height beyond your pet’s reach. Using seal-able containers can help to keep your dog from ‘counter surfing’ and gorging on your buffet.

Consumption of food and beverages typically found at barbecues can cause serious digestive issues as well as other associated problems. Meats, bones, fat (cheese, animal skin, desserts, nuts, etc), fruit (grapes, raisins, etc), vegetables (onion, chives, etc), salt, sugar, spices, preservatives, alcohol, and other ingredients all harbor potential health and toxicity risks.

Digestive tract clinical signs include vomiting, diarrhea, deceased appetite, lethargy, and more. Metabolic diseases like pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), liver or kidney damage, electrolyte imbalances, anemia, and other problems can also occur.

Your pet’s seemingly harmless taste or large portion consumption can create serious health issues requiring veterinary care. Diagnostics (blood, urine, and fecal tests, X-rays, ultrasound, etc), in-hospital or outpatient treatment (fluid therapy, antacid or anti-nausea medications, etc) are often required to ensure the recovery of a pet guilty of dietary indiscretion (inappropriate consumption of food or environmental objects).

Are you financially prepared to pursue veterinary care if your pet suffers barbecue-associated digestion issues? Especially in times of financial hardship, it’s best to avoid the need for costly treatment by focusing on prevention. As barbecues often involve the presence of guests, make sure everyone is well informed of your pet safety rules.

Additionally, potentially toxic gifts (flowers, plants, foods, etc) can enter your home upon guests’ arrival. Purses, backpacks, and other bags can harbor toxins like candy (mints and gum, especially the sugar-free kind containing Xylitol), prescription or over the counter drugs, and other miscellaneous substances. Gifts and guests’ belongings should also be kept out of reach of household pets.

With any concerns for toxic exposure, contact ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) and Pet Poison Helpline (PPH) for the best guidance in managing your pet’s individual case.

Thank you for joining us for the second part of FlexPet’s Summertime Pet Safety Series. I hope you and your pets have many safe and festive occasions this summer.

Rabies is spread by infected saliva that enters the body through a bite or broken skin. The virus travels from the wound to the brain, where it causes swelling or inflammation. This inflammation leads to symptoms of the disease. Not only are animals negatively affected by rabies, but it has severe consequences for humans as well. If a human is exposed to an animal with rabies they are required to undergo an expensive post-exposure prophylaxis procedure.

There is no reason not to get your pets vaccinated against rabies as the vaccine itself is extremely inexpensive and readily available. The vaccine is given once approximately every 3 years unless you have a puppy, in which case the vaccine is rated for a year’s time. Any veterinarian can administer the shot for a nominal fee or with some research, you can often get it for free. Certain diseases or conditions may render your pet susceptible to complications from the vaccine so it is always wise to consult your veterinarian beforehand. Go ahead and get your pet the vaccine, it could end up saving their life.

1. Exercise- Perhaps one of the best ways to reduce stress, regular exercise can have numerous beneficial impacts on your health. Exercise helps prevent stress buildup and alleviates physical and emotional stressors. Being unhealthy or out of shape is also another common stressor in peoples’ lives.
2. Organize/Simplify Your To-Do List- Writing down important tasks is helpful because it frees your brain from clutter and the stress of constantly trying remembering everything. On the other hand a long and/or complicated list can contribute to stress. Limit the list to a few essential tasks that can be accomplished in a short amount of time.
3. Eat Healthy- This goes along the same lines as exercising in that the benefits are both direct and indirect. Maintaining a healthy diet eliminates the stress of being more susceptible to health complications while it also benefits your overall emotional and physical state.
4. Make Time for Fun or Relaxation- With our busy work schedules and family life, it can be difficult for people to find time to unwind. Making sure you have some time for yourself, to do whatever you want, is just as important as the time you spend working or helping family.
5. Clean Your Home/Office- A clean and uncluttered living space equals an uncluttered mind. Many people don’t realize that junk, clutter and dirt can contribute to emotional stress. Organization and cleanliness can help streamline many facets of everyday life lending to a more comfortable living situation.
6. Be on Time- Being late stresses you out as everybody already knows, but some people struggle to change this habit. Set times to show up early for work, events, meetings and you will immediately see the elimination of typical stressors.
7. Help Others- Though it may seem contradictory adding things to your agenda, once you help someone in need you will understand the emotional benefit it has. Make time during the week or on the weekend to help a friend or volunteer at a local organization.
8. Meditate- When you meditate you focus on the here and now. This pushes unnecessary stress out of mind and allows your mind and body to rest. Research some meditation techniques and spend several minutes every day practicing what you learn.

According to the EPA, of all the Earth’s water, most is ocean or sea (97%). About two percent (2%) of the world’s water is frozen and therefore unusable. That leaves a little less than one percent (1%) of the Earth’s water suitable for drinking water. It is important that we treat the environment with respect and strive to maintain clean water sources.

Our resident fitness expert and nutritionist, Justin Check, has written a great article about H20 and all of its benefits. You can view the article here.

“Are Your Joints Thirsty?”

Of all the nutrients required by the human body to survive, there is only one that you cannot live without for more than a few days - water. Water makes up 55-75% of the human body and is responsible for maintaining the vitality and integrity of every cell and system, including your joints.

Water’s main role in the joints is to act as a lubricant which cushions the joints during movement and prevents inflammation from occurring. Water is also a solvent and transporter for nutrients that keep your joints healthy and functioning properly. Thus, the health of your joints is extremely dependent upon water. When you’re dehydrated, so are your joints and dehydrated joints can very easily become inflamed, painful joints. Drink an adequate, continual amount of water throughout the day to maintain a neutral fluid balance and keep your joints hydrated.

We’ve all heard the rule of thumb “drink eight 8oz glasses of water every day”. However, this only equates to 1.9 liters of water per day. The average adult loses somewhere between 2-3 liters of water each day depending on gender, weight, activity level and climate. So if you follow this rule you could potentially have a negative fluid balance every day, leaving your body (and joints) dehydrated.

There are many potential health risks and adverse side effects associated with chronic, moderate dehydration such as achy joints, mood swings, headaches, sudden fatigue, dry skin/mouth, heart burn and even weight gain. If you experience any of these symptoms regularly, you are probably dehydrated. Another way to tell if you are dehydrated is by the color of your urine. In general, darker urine is a sign of dehydration; however, be aware that certain medications, diuretics and supplements will temporarily make urine darker even when you’re fully hydrated.

The USDA sets an Adequate Intake (AI) for water and electrolytes as a goal intake for healthy individuals to try to consume each day. The AI of water for healthy adult males is 3.7 liters/day and 2.7 liters/day for healthy adult females. The easiest way to achieve the USDA’s adequate intake of water is to carry a refillable bottle everywhere you go and keep filling it up! If you grow tired of plain water, try adding a squeeze of fresh lemon or a flavored zero calorie mix made with stevioside (stevia) or sucralose (splenda). Use these artificial sweeteners in moderation as gastrointestinal bloating and cramps are a common complaint from over consumption.

Have a health question regarding this article? Feel free to e-mail me at healthadvice@flexcin.com and I will respond promptly.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Healthy Pets Make Happy Homes”. Keeping a healthy pet requires adequate preparation and active involvement in many aspects of your pet’s life. A healthy diet is the foundation for success with any animal, though preventative measures are equally important. Routine veterinary checkups can prevent potential health issues as can regularly brushing your pet’s teeth and fur.

Our resident veterinarian, Patrick Mahaney, has written several articles about pet safety, health, and veterinary practices. Check out his work here. Help celebrate National Pet Week by educating yourself and the people around you about proper pet care, safety and home integration. You will find our website is an extremely helpful asset for all of the above.

Is your pet overweight or obese? If you’re not sure, then it’s time to learn weight loss and assessment techniques – your pet’s health depends on it!

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), estimates that 51% of dogs and cats (approximately 89 million pets) in the United States are overweight or obese. Obesity is the number one disease affecting pets in America. Carrying excess body weight leads to potentially irreversible illnesses, including arthritis, cardiovascular disease, endocrine system disruption (feline diabetes, canine hypothyroidism), and immune system compromise.

How and why are our pets getting fat?

As with humans that are overweight or obese, the problem typically stems from the combination of too many calories consumed and too few burned. The same rules apply to pets, yet it is the fault of the human guardian for providing excess food and not enough activity.

Although weight is often a highly personal and emotional topic, it must be addressed for the sake of your pet’s quality of life. Let's start by learning how to determine your dog or cat’s body condition, which is a more practical means of gauging overall health than merely relying on a number from the scale.

The Nutritional Support Services at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine created a helpful Body Condition Scoring (BCS) Chart to show owners the physical characteristics that classify their pet as emaciated, obese, or somewhere in between.

1=  Emaciated- Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all body prominences evident from a distance. No discernible body fat. Obvious absence of muscle mass.

2= Thin- Ribs easily palpated and may be visible with no palpable fat. Tops of lumbar vertebrae visible. Pelvic bones less prominent. Obvious waist and abdominal tuck.

3= Moderate- Ribs palpable without excess fat covering. Abdomen tucked up when viewed from side.

4= Stout- General fleshy appearance. Ribs palpable with difficulty. Noticeable fat deposits over lumbar spine and tail base. Abdominal tuck may be absent.

5= Obese- Large fat deposits over chest, spine and tail base. Waist and abdominal tuck absent. Fat deposits on neck and limbs. Abdomen distended.

If your pet’s BCS is 4 or above, then use the scale at your vet’s office on a monthly basis to numerically track weight loss.

Your pet needs to slim down, where do you start?

Restrict Calories

Feed a Diet Based in Whole Food

Lucky Dog Cuisine- canine

Honest Kitchen- canine and feline

Fussie Cat- feline

These foods are human grade and I am willing to eat them myself. To witness my claims, see Dr Patrick Mahaney and Cardiff Eat Lucky Dog Cuisine for Nitro's Law.

Dog and cat owners must recognize that each day is an opportunity to better the health of their animal companions by focusing on weight management through caloric restriction, whole food based feeding, and physical activity. Your pet’s slimmer BCS ultimately ensures an improved quality of life.

A hot compress functions by relieving sore and stiff muscles through improved blood flow and circulation. Cold compresses relieve pain by numbing the nerve endings in a localized area. Whether it is hot or cold, wrap the pack or compress in a towel or washcloth to prevent extreme temperature contact with your skin. For pain in localized areas apply the compress and hold for no longer than 15-20 minutes. For more advanced muscle problems or conditions, some prefer to alternate hot and cold compresses for maximum stimulation.

Ice treatments are typically used with more acute injuries. If the injury has occurred in the last 48 hours and/or involves swelling, an ice pick generally works as a better method of treatment. Applying an ice pack quickly can help minimize inflammation and reduce pain. Hot compresses are generally recommended for more chronic conditions. The heat helps relax and loosen muscle tissue while stimulating blood flow. Use heat treatments prior to a physical activity rather than after. Heat treatments work more as a preventative measure while cold treatments are better suited for acute injury pain.

Compresses are a great at-home remedy for any kind of muscle or tissue injury or even as symptom relief from painful conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. They are easy to use, cheap, effective and can even be made from typical household items like a bag of frozen peas or a heated wet towel.