pet connection

As the spring and summer travel seasons approach, our thoughts often turn to our desire to get away. We love to pack up the pups and hit the open road, with the sunshine as our guide, as we voyage to discover faraway places and unfamiliar faces.

We pack the bags, the coolers and the dog crates for the trip, everything we need to make the adventure safe and sane for all involved. But there’s one item that may tend to be overlooked as we prepare to depart: How to keep our pet properly and adequately hydrated.

The people at PetCrew, Inc., point out that a standard rule of thumb to make sure your pet is properly hydrated is to have them drink one-half to one ounce of fresh water per pound of body weight every day. If your dog is very active on hot summer days, he should drink even more.

It’s important for this to be fresh water, not water from a strange stream or lake because one never knows what bacteria might be in that water.

Lakes, ponds rivers, streams and even standing water can harbor numerous bacteria that can make a pet sick – especially if there is chemical runoff from local farm fields, or weed killers or insecticides present. Also, it’s not a good idea to pour fresh water onto the ground for a pet to lap up. Residual chemicals and bacteria can be there as well.

Here are some clues to determining pet dehydration:

If a pet is dehydrated, his/her skin loses its elasticity. If the skin on the neck doesn’t release back to original spot as soon as you let go, that is a sign that the pet is under-hydrated.

Checking your pet’s gum line can also be a clue to dehydration.

If the gums look drier than normal and are a bit discolored, that is a strong indication of under-hydration.

Excessive and sometimes uncontrollable panting can mean a pet is overheated and on the way to becoming dehydrated.

Several ounces of cool water can help bring things back to normal. That’s why PetCrew developed a nifty device called the Handi-Drink portable water bottle that makes it easy to keep your pup wet and refreshed int he car and on hikes or wherever the travel season may take them. Handi-Drink is a uniquely designed water tray that can be filled with water with just a quick squeeze from an attached water bottle.

It’s easy to transport and use because there’s little spillage compared to a typical water bowl, and refilling is a snap.

For more information and ordering, here’s the website.

Happy traveling.