Dogs on the Go!

This blog post started out with a pre – RVing checklist/to-do list but then I realized that the list for just the dogs was a quite lengthy one. When we first made the decision to set out on the open road with our three dogs we knew that there was going to be a lot of preparation. Here is what I came up with in the process…

Make sure your dogs are caught up on all of their shots. It’s also a good idea to keep a copy of their shot record with you on your travels. In case you decide to dip into Canada, they require a rabies certificate and if you ever want to leave your pups with a dog sitter, they will also require a full shot record.

Being that you will be visiting unfamiliar territory, it will be even more unfamiliar for your pups. It’s important for them to be microchipped just in case they get disorientated and run off.

If you plan on visiting anywhere outside of the desert, your dogs will need a flea, tick and heartworm preventative medications. The last thing a full-time RV family wants is a flea infestation! Ticks are nasty critters that come in all shapes and sizes. They also carry all sorts of diseases not just for dogs, but also for humans. Heartworm is caused by an infected mosquito and once your dog is infected, it can be deadly. All of these nasty critters exist pretty much everywhere except the desert. With that said, our veterinarian in Henderson Nevada was very limited on preventative options. After doing a little research, I found Chewy.com to have an abundant amount of choices but before we were able to purchase anything, our veterinarian had to write a prescription. Before she was able to write the prescription, the dogs had to be given a heartworm test. This test costs about $70 per dog.  The results are available in just a few minutes and your vet will be able to write the prescription and send it over to Chewy.com right away.  If you will be on the road for any length of time, request a refill.  By doing this, you will have access to a full year of preventative critter meds instead of just six months.  Do not make the mistake I did.  I waited until 10 days before our departure date to get the dogs their heartworm test.  The process to fill the prescription through Chewy.com can actually take up to a week plus the time to ship.  After explaining my time crunch situation to the Chewy.com representative, she assured me that she would personally see to it that the meds would arrive before we needed to disembark…..and they did!  I decided on the Simparica Trio. It ended up costing approximately $130 per dog for a six month period. It’s a once a month chewable pill that is good for the prevention of heartworm, ticks and fleas.  In addition to the pill, I did my research on organic/natural topical sprays that I would be able to use on their fur and the carpet.  The way I see it, it’s better to be safe than sorry!  After reading the reviews on several different sprays, I decided on Vet’s Best Nature’s Health Care flea and tick spray.  The only negative reviews I found was about the smell and I actually found the smell to be quite nice.  Another great preventative for our dogs, is proper nutrition.  Just like in humans, keeping their immune system strong helps to create a shield against pests.  

Next on my list is choosing a dog friendly campsite.  Being that we are new to the RVing life, I wanted to dive in as prepared as possible.  I tried to book our campsites in advance.  I called most of the sites and talked to someone directly instead of just booking online.  Many of our campsites are near some sort of body of water so I wanted to make sure that the dogs were allowed to be on the beach.  It really doesn’t do us any good if there is a beautiful body of water and a nice little beach area, if the dogs aren’t allowed on it.  So with that being said, even if a campsite allows dogs, there are sites that are definitely more dog friendly than others.

As we continue on our adventure with our pups I will include any new updates that I think will be helpful.