Cruising With A Service Dog....everything You Ever Wanted To Know!

Glad to hear you guys are doing better!

 

Tell Wex that sometimes sliding off the back seat is actually a good thing. Last night, my goofball black lab got his lower jaw stuck in a marrow bone. He's never done that before! :eek: So I loaded him into the back seat and headed for the emergency vet.

 

At the yellow light, the car in front of me braked abruptly instead of going through, so I hit the brakes hard enough that Mal smacked his head into the back of my seat. It knocked the marrow bone off his face! We were able to turn around and go back home with no pain and no emergency vet bill. :D

OMG! That could have been a much worse story then you're telling! Poor guy! I know you were scared but can you imagine how frightened he must have been!

OMG! That could have been a much worse story then you're telling! Poor guy! I know you were scared but can you imagine how frightened he must have been!

You know, I think he was more emotionally distraught that he couldn't eat the dinner I'd put on the floor before realizing he wasn't just carrying the bone around! As soon as we got back home, he bolted for his bowl. He wouldn't even let me see if he'd cut his jaw until he was done eating!

I'm very, very lucky that we live just a block away from the emergency vet. So much better than having to drive 15+ miles up the highway to go to the previous emergency vet.

I just heard from my breeder. Gem had her litter at the beginning of March, not the end (oops!) so the pups will be ready to go home at the end of next month!

 

If one of the pups is suitable to be a service dog, I get bumped to the top of the list, so this could be a very hectic summer for me -- but very exciting, too!

That's great news - I hope it works out for you to get one of those puppies.

Dianne

Saw our USDA certified vet yesterday for the health exam again...Just took paperwork to UPS for overnight to Florida's regional USDA Service Center in Gainesville to be endorsed and returned for our cruise next week.

 

Our vet and her staff are proving to be so much more helpful than the USDA one in NC. They really get into it, make phone calls, and figure out what to put on the form for the countries involved, and solve things with common sense.

 

And she's less than ten minutes away from our house! Couldn't be happier.

How lucky to have found a great vet so close by! My vet is USDA certified, I hope she or someone in her office is as knowledgeable.

Dianne

Well after 2 weeks of bronchitis we are finally better. Thought John was going to end up in the hospital. Was waiting for him to cough up a lung. :eek: I wasnt as bad as him but this is the 3rd time sick since Christmas. Enough already!

Glad to hear that you are finally better and able to use your new van. You will have to post lots of pictures of Wex - he will be so handsome!

Dianne

You know, I think he was more emotionally distraught that he couldn't eat the dinner I'd put on the floor before realizing he wasn't just carrying the bone around! As soon as we got back home, he bolted for his bowl. He wouldn't even let me see if he'd cut his jaw until he was done eating!

Got to love dogs - no matter what is happening, they are only focused on their next meal. Glad that he is okay.

Dianne

My SD uses the mesh vest all year long due to our high humidity and intense heat. It is a white reflective mesh with a thin black border. There is a small 1.5" x 3" SD patch on the top neck area.

Does everyone know about the free service dog eye screening exams offered each year by ACVO? Today the enrollment opened for 2016 exams. Participating veterinary ophthalmologists are listed by state, and after you enroll you can call for an appointment.

http://www.acvoeyeexam.org has information about qualifying.

Raylene was examined again last year and it gave me peace of mind - she's a Lab and has a small, breed-typical cataract that should not cause vision problems, but I like to have that ongoing follow-up.

Does everyone know about the free service dog eye screening exams offered each year by ACVO? Today the enrollment opened for 2016 exams. Participating veterinary ophthalmologists are listed by state, and after you enroll you can call for an appointment.

 

http://www.acvoeyeexam.org has information about qualifying.

 

Raylene was examined again last year and it gave me peace of mind - she's a Lab and has a small, breed-typical cataract that should not cause vision problems, but I like to have that ongoing follow-up.

Thanks for the reminder!

Better safe than sorry. I want to be a good customer, always prepared, rather than putting that burden on the business owner. I'm lucky in that I have the mobility to bend down and clean up messes on most days. :)

It isn't about a burden or not being a good customer, but many stores (especially ones selling/serving food) have a follow specific protocols under the health codes and such. There is a reason they tell you they will take care of it. Of course, you should alert the store and apologize.

I'm hopefully going to be getting a puppy out of one of two upcoming litters: one due at the end of this month, one next month. With the puppy, we'll be reinforcing "Better go now" for ALL toileting, on various surfaces (concrete, rock, pea gravel, grass, dirt, etc.)

That's great that you'll have a new puppy soon! I hope you will post a photo once you get it!

Saw our USDA certified vet yesterday for the health exam again...Just took paperwork to UPS for overnight to Florida's regional USDA Service Center in Gainesville to be endorsed and returned for our cruise next week.

 

Our vet and her staff are proving to be so much more helpful than the USDA one in NC. They really get into it, make phone calls, and figure out what to put on the form for the countries involved, and solve things with common sense.

 

And she's less than ten minutes away from our house! Couldn't be happier.

Sounds like you found a great vet! I have always had to do my own research, e-mails, and calls in the past, like most of us here. Sure would be helpful to have the vet's office do it instead, especially since they probably have more contacts in the field!

For those of you who need a car safety harness for your service dogs (or pets), I highly recommend the crash-tested Sleepypod Utility Sport harness. It is easy to use - just two buckles and thread the seatbelt through it before clicking it in. It is what I use.

Well, we were at the vet on Wednesday for the pre-surgical blood work and check-up, then my service dog will be spayed next week (laparoscopic, ovaries only) now that she's old enough to be fully grown so it won't harm her later in life like spaying/neutering too early can. I need to find that soft e-collar (cone of shame) I saved from my previous service dog in case the vet gives a plastic one (I didn't think to ask) - don't want her bumping into things with the plastic one! I am not looking forward to the surgery/her being gone all day, of course, but I am looking forward to not having to deal with another heat and false pregnancy!

I hope everyone had a good April Fool's Day and that you weren't fooled too badly! One online pet store I get e-mails from had a joke product: the world's first coloring book for dogs to color! That was a good one.

Last night my goofball black lab got his lower jaw stuck in a marrow bone. He's never done that before! :eek: So I loaded him into the back seat and headed for the emergency vet.

Many moons ago, our Samantha (Sammy) got one of those round marrow bones stuck on the roof of her mouth. We couldn't see it and thought she was choking. Into the car, to the vet. He had to take pliers to get it off the roof of her mouth. No more marrows bones for any of my furkids(well any of them, BOL). Quite the scare.

Glad to hear you guys are doing better!

 

Tell Wex that sometimes sliding off the back seat is actually a good thing. Last night, my goofball black lab got his lower jaw stuck in a marrow bone. He's never done that before! :eek: So I loaded him into the back seat and headed for the emergency vet.

 

At the yellow light, the car in front of me braked abruptly instead of going through, so I hit the brakes hard enough that Mal smacked his head into the back of my seat. It knocked the marrow bone off his face! We were able to turn around and go back home with no pain and no emergency vet bill. :D

Omg I guess that was lucky.

Does everyone know about the free service dog eye screening exams offered each year by ACVO? Today the enrollment opened for 2016 exams. Participating veterinary ophthalmologists are listed by state, and after you enroll you can call for an appointment.

 

http://www.acvoeyeexam.org has information about qualifying.

 

Raylene was examined again last year and it gave me peace of mind - she's a Lab and has a small, breed-typical cataract that should not cause vision problems, but I like to have that ongoing follow-up.

We have gone every year since we got Wex. The doctor is so nice and he acts so sappy they just love him.

Well, we were at the vet on Wednesday for the pre-surgical blood work and check-up, then my service dog will be spayed next week (laparoscopic, ovaries only) now that she's old enough to be fully grown so it won't harm her later in life like spaying/neutering too early can. I need to find that soft e-collar (cone of shame) I saved from my previous service dog in case the vet gives a plastic one (I didn't think to ask) - don't want her bumping into things with the plastic one! I am not looking forward to the surgery/her being gone all day, of course, but I am looking forward to not having to deal with another heat and false pregnancy!

Oh no not the cone of shame!! 😮

Sounds like you found a great vet! I have always had to do my own research, e-mails, and calls in the past, like most of us here. Sure would be helpful to have the vet's office do it instead, especially since they probably have more contacts in the field!

I think all of us Service Dog partners do so much research we end up knowing much more about the paperwork - and the way it plays out on the ground in the real world - than anybody else does, including (especially?) the Service Centers that we need for endorsements.

For those of you who need a car safety harness for your service dogs (or pets), I highly recommend the crash-tested Sleepypod Utility Sport harness. It is easy to use - just two buckles and thread the seatbelt through it before clicking it in. It is what I use.

I have that same car safety harness for my service dog Henri. She is not crazy about it, but she cooperates and it is easy to use.

Good luck with your dog's surgery.

Dianne

Does everyone know about the free service dog eye screening exams offered each year by ACVO? Today the enrollment opened for 2016 exams. Participating veterinary ophthalmologists are listed by state, and after you enroll you can call for an appointment.

 

http://www.acvoeyeexam.org has information about qualifying.

 

Raylene was examined again last year and it gave me peace of mind - she's a Lab and has a small, breed-typical cataract that should not cause vision problems, but I like to have that ongoing follow-up.

Thanks Chris - I am going to look into this. One of the clinics listed is quite close to us.

Dianne

Thanks Chris - I am going to look into this. One of the clinics listed is quite close to us.

 

Dianne

You're welcome!

Another good thing to know about is membership in International Assoc. of Assistance Dog Partners if you haven't joined already.

You're welcome!

 

Another good thing to know about is membership in International Assoc. of Assistance Dog Partners if you haven't joined already.

Yes, I did join IAADP and was able to get the free flea/tick medication from them.

Dianne

Hi everyone. Just catching up with all your news. Life has been rather hectic recently and I'm sorry I haven't been in touch.

Anyway Bonnie is now almost 8 months old and is doing very well, so far! She's very confident and thankfully is living up to her name. She's quite a compact or should I say petite girl but oh my she is very strong! In attitude as well!!!

Her training is going well and she's walks, most of the time, as she should for her future role. Only occasionally now does she do the "sixpence spin", usually when she spots another interesting dog along the way. So we have to work on that still! She and Aruba have become great pals, so there will not just be my tears at bedtime when it's time for Bonnie to go to school! Ah well, Aruba and me can cry our hearts out on our garden swing! Aruba loves getting up on the swing with me! And I love it too and now that spring has finally come, the days we can happily swing are more often.

This is Miss B standing on the wall from which she surveys "her estate"! LOL!!!

Bonnie is a big girl now! Seems like she was the wee one riding in the little red car just a short time ago.

Hi everyone. Just catching up with all your news. Life has been rather hectic recently and I'm sorry I haven't been in touch.

 

Anyway Bonnie is now almost 8 months old and is doing very well, so far! She's very confident and thankfully is living up to her name. She's quite a compact or should I say petite girl but oh my she is very strong! In attitude as well!!!

 

Her training is going well and she's walks, most of the time, as she should for her future role. Only occasionally now does she do the "sixpence spin", usually when she spots another interesting dog along the way. So we have to work on that still! She and Aruba have become great pals, so there will not just be my tears at bedtime when it's time for Bonnie to go to school! Ah well, Aruba and me can cry our hearts out on our garden swing! Aruba loves getting up on the swing with me! And I love it too and now that spring has finally come, the days we can happily swing are more often.

 

This is Miss B standing on the wall from which she surveys "her estate"! LOL!!!

Oh, she's just GORGEOUS!

Hi everyone. Just catching up with all your news. Life has been rather hectic recently and I'm sorry I haven't been in touch.

 

Anyway Bonnie is now almost 8 months old and is doing very well, so far! She's very confident and thankfully is living up to her name. She's quite a compact or should I say petite girl but oh my she is very strong! In attitude as well!!!

 

Her training is going well and she's walks, most of the time, as she should for her future role. Only occasionally now does she do the "sixpence spin", usually when she spots another interesting dog along the way. So we have to work on that still! She and Aruba have become great pals, so there will not just be my tears at bedtime when it's time for Bonnie to go to school! Ah well, Aruba and me can cry our hearts out on our garden swing! Aruba loves getting up on the swing with me! And I love it too and now that spring has finally come, the days we can happily swing are more often.

 

This is Miss B standing on the wall from which she surveys "her estate"! LOL!!!

Whew!!!! I'm so glad we heard from you. I was thinking about all of you and hoping that everyone was good!

Bonnie is a big girl now. She's so pretty!!!! You and Aruba can commiserate with each other when it's time for Bonnie to go to school! You do have your hands full with the brood that you've got!

Thanks for sharing your girl with us! Give everyone a big kiss from Horty and me♥ ♥ ♥

Horty's going to be 7 years old on April 29th. I can't believe that he's been in my life for almost 5 years!!!!! He's matured so well. He's such a wonderful helper......He still has his moments when he acts like a 2 year old but at those times

he makes me smile and laugh out loud. He's a great dog!!!! He completes me!!!! [And, there were times when I had my doubts that he would ever mature!]