Camping With Your Pets

Camping is an increasingly popular activity for families and their pets. Many dogs and some cats enjoy traveling with their families. Here are a few tips to help make your pet's adventure into the great outdoors a success.

Research the campground or area that you are planning on visiting. Not all campgrounds accept pets and many wilderness areas have leash laws for dogs. It would be better to find out ahead of time if your destination has any restrictions on visiting pets.

Make sure that your pet's vaccines are up to date. Most of your pet's vaccines are to protect him from diseases but a current rabies vaccine is a legal requirement for your pet's safety and yours. Check with your veterinarian for any other vaccines that may be recommended based on the area that you are planning on visiting. For example, Leptospirosis and Lyme vaccines are not given routinely by all veterinarians to all dogs, but protection for these diseases may be a good idea when visiting certain areas. You should carry proof of your pet's vaccinations.

If your pet is on any medications, be sure to bring enough for your trip and maybe a few extra in case some become damaged or lost. If your pet has any chronic medical conditions you might want to bring copies of his medical records. This will help any veterinarian make quicker and more appropriate decisions regarding your pet's medical care.

Plan to bring enough food and water for your pet's entire trip. Changes in diet can cause some pets to have gastrointestinal symptoms. This way you will know that any diarrhea or stomach upset that occurs will not be from a new kind of diet. Don't assume that river, lake or standing water is safe for your pet to drink. There are certain intestinal parasites, for instance, giardia and cryptosporidium, that your pet can get from drinking water in the wilderness.

Make sure that you are using year round flea and tick control on your pets. There are many diseases that are carried by these blood sucking parasites and your pet may encounter more of them out in the great outdoors.

Though not as common as dogs, cats are also joining their families camping. Remember to bring a litter box with your cat's favorite type of litter. Some cats are very particular about their litter and a tent or RV would be unpleasant if your cat decided to find an alternative place for his bathroom. Keep your cat in a carrier when traveling and then always have him on a harness and leash when taking him outside. A frightened cat would be impossible to catch in the wilderness.

With some precautions, your pets can enjoy the outdoors as much as you do!

Location

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Monday:

8:30 am-8:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-1:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

8:45 am-2:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

Feedback from our clients

  • "Words can not begin to express our gratitude for the care you had given Hunter over the years. When his time came, he watched for you to come through the door and his tail showed his affection towards you. That was most comforting having you there. Thank you.""
    ~R.H
  • ""Thank you so much for taking care of Maggie over the years. Y'all are the best and Dr. Johnson, you are the best vet in the world! God bless you all.""
    ~ J.D.
  • ""Your care for my beloved Mattie these last 10n years made her life, and mine much better….God bless each of you for all you did for us and I'm sure for all your other two and four legged patients.""
    ~E.D.
  • ""Thank you for saving my life." ~T.C."
    ~T.C.
  • ""I can not express how grateful I am for you and your staff… I appreciate everything you did in Beckham's treatment. He was so lucky to have such a wonderful doctor on his side. Thank you for all you do for the benefit of all our beloved pets.""
    ~L.B.
  • ""Dr. Johnson - There are no words that can truly capture your kindness.""
    ~G.B.
  • ""Thank you for the great care you took of Taco and the rest of our family. He is doing great now! He is enjoying running and playing with all four legs again.""
    ~W.C
  • ""People who avail themselves of your services at the clinic certainly are blessed to have such a caring staff....bless you and your devoted staff.""
    ~E.D.
  • ""A sincere thank you for taking such good care of Dulce. We are so thrilled that she is back to her normal self. You gave her the support and care she needed in her darkest hours and kept us confident in her recovery.""
  • ""Just to say how much we appreciate all of you. You all are wonderful people. We feel blessed to have our beloved furry children in your care when they need it. Your professional knowledge and your acts of kindness have a beautiful act all it's own. You are a great vet, compassionate and everything good all in one. You are in our daily prayers.""
    ~T.F.
  • ""Thank you and all of your staff for the excellent care you gave to my wonderful Abbey, who was so much a part of the family. Thank you for all the advice and support you gave to me these last few months. I don't know how I would have gotten through this without your constant support. I will, and I have highly recommended you to family and friends, as I feel you are the best!""
    ~P.B.
  • ""Thank you for taking care of my kitty, Slingshot. He is feeling better and better. My Paw-Paw said that you took extra special care of him and I really appreciate it. So, thank you again for taking care of my cat.""
    ~T.B. (age 6)
  • ""Dr. Johnson, I don't know why you decided to move here from your home in New Jersey, but I absolutely believe it was so you could help me and Mickey. I know coming to someone's home is not what a typical veterinarian would do, but you are obviously an extraordinary man in a world filled with ordinary men….On top of that, your sensitive and wonderful handwritten note arrived and touched my heart…You are one of those quiet, unheralded champions who make life easier for everyone you touch.""
    ~C.W.
  • ""Thank you so much for taking care of Lola when she had her reaction, and your office was already closed. I know you took time away from yourself and your family and I really appreciate it.""
    ~R.M.
  • ""Thank you for giving me more time with my best friend. We are all so grateful.""
    ~A.M.
  • ""Thank you for all of your support for Maxine during her illness. All was very much appreciated and will always be remembered. I have related to all my friends of what a great doctor and staff at Birdneck Animal Hospital.""
    ~O.B.
  • ""Thank you for taking such good care of me over the last 4 years. I am doing well and both legs and feet feel great. You sis an awesome job on me Dr. Johnson, and I'm gonna have a great year this year and I hope to see you only for my check up. You guys are the best!""
    ~Budkus
  • "We can't thank you enough for the wonderful and loving care you gave to"Budkus" while he was in your care. He was so little and so sick and we were so scared for him. Each and every one of the staff members made us feel like we had the only dog in the world. Like nothing else mattered except getting "Budkus" well again. Our deepest gratitude to all of you for the excellent care and attention we received, for your encouragement, comfort, and understanding, and most importantly for saving his life! Thank you so much.""
    ~ J.,B.,C.