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PAGE 18 - PLAIN DEALER - FRIDAY-. *1 \J 27. 1977 Will A*. YOU AND YOUR PET By Robert L Stear, 0 V.M Manager of Veterinary Services Norden Laboratories TRAYELlN'Ci WITH YOl R PE7 When your family prepares for a vacation, the question may arise, what should we do with our dog or cat" If your answer is to take it along, the going will be much easier if your pet has been schooled to travel Several weeks before your trip, begin conditioning your pet to the smell of gasoline and vinyl Let your pet explore the interior of your parked car while you sit inside The next day repeat the procedure and this time take your pet for a short ride, and then a longer one If your pet is consistently car sick after this gradual introduction, you may need to contact your veterinarian for a sedative to relax the animal. On the whole, cats are not as avid car passengers as dogs, so be patient in your training. A cat frightened by the smell of gas. engine noise or movement may never lost its fear of car travel. Special care is needed whenever a pet is paft alone in a car Sun on the windshield can turn a car into an oven, and your pet could easily sulfocate If you must leave, try to park in the shade and leave the win­ dows partially open-just enough for ventilation, but not wide enough for your pet to escape Don't leash your dog to the window or tie him up inside the car. as he might easily hang himself. On long trips, it's wise to take a supply of your pet's regular food, a jug of water, towels or clean rugs and an extra leash. For summer travel, owners of large dogs sometimes line the floor in the back seat with damp towels for the pet to lie on. Traveling with a pet by bus, plane or other public tran­ sportation needs special planning, so call the company in advance of your trip. Transit companies usually have regulations regarding pet travel-including specifications for the carrying case The best carriers for long distance travel have good ventilation, deep metal cups for food and water^and dome-shaped roofs so crates and boxes cannot be piled on top. Even if you travel only by car. your pet should be ac­ customed to confinement in a carrier. It is impractical to hold a pet, even a small one, in your lap for long periods. Also, it is not very safe. A frightened pet may jump out an open window or injure the driver and passengers during a sudden stop. s Condition your pet to its carrier gradually. Let your cat or dog inspect the open unit at home for several days--Then you can carry your pet around in the carrier, first in the house, then around the neighborhood and finally in the car. If you want to travel outside the country, visit your veterinarian for a health certificate and possible rabies booster shot. Also contact the foreign embassy or consul official to find out about quarantine restrictions. If you'll be vacationing in a warm climate (inside or out of the United States) that might have mosquitos, ask your veterinarian about heartworm medicine for your dog When added to your dog's food, h e a r t w o r m m e d i c a t i o n prevents the development of certain parasites that enter the dog's body with the bite of an infected mosquito. I'll discuss heartworms in more detail in a future column. On last note about pet carriers: some owners protest that confinement prevents the pet from "enjoying the trip." I disagree A nervous cat jum­ ping back and forth from one seat to another, distracting the driver, is not enjoying the trip. Neither does the dog that suffers severe eye irritation from riding along a dusty city or country road with its head out the window Dr. Stear regrets that he is unable to personally answer letters, from pet owners. He suggest that readers consult their own veterinarians whea their pets have problems. "The ideal of calm exists in a sitting cat." Jules Renard The state which produces the most apples is Washington -- between 20 and 35 million bushels a year. (A bushel w e i g h t s 4 8 p o u n d s . ) ttZ- oo -- C o w Cw g CO 8. " ' CO O J rtr v •=: <D OS >s *5 I/» ̂ -- ̂ O w a> O- U © 'j* c VA- -1- ̂ ̂.a I D . S E E I ID CSJ </) !• c/> GO CVI GO 4> etc U J U U co cn 4 u > jO ICM K \ DO CJ >5 2 £ *<2 £ 0 8 . L a - L CO c 2 u a -c « S -o IS î t •3 = 2 §.!• CO UJ ̂ <C 18 o ® u >- « o> S v i . S 2 I o . •£ IS) s i 3 ™ .£ o Q£ * -o 0 o g S o §. 1 • I 0> -c z: c ^ -E o U o> E •§ ® -£ V. H. 0) o > UJ </> ~0 C 0) o I s •r 0 -t to </> UJ .5 £ <2 41 O U tfl eg o> o ">. >» c 5 2 ! o « * 3 w c u a* .2 •ti c 33 |2 u s: S 2 - S *3 8 '5 & co 5 & a CO G ^ tUD ^.S c u CO in CO u -- CO • 1 1 0 00 0 s £ U 2. 5 c ^ CO £ o> $ I O £5 g ' E * i f f «z« S i S E «/) ~ y 00 - ? Cfl Li- ' - Q- - t CO (/> J ^ mi t u 5/3 £ O " H ^ U J Z i C 2£ 00 00 . ) H K sO z i 4^ 8 '5 v to 1- 2? .2 o S C 'je "I - 3 6 2 -2 0 u 2 «os Ui "S S 3 jo 5 $ CN 4A 5.S ^ o 00 = * 60 ic ; m s 1 M w Z '± 4A