Food - the best of traveller experiences

We love travelling with pets... but some people & places don't... like National Parks or some caravan parks!
PLUS... there are other issues apart from behaviour such as vaccinations and more - This section might just have some answers for you!

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Unwell Pets - Dr Jo Sillince

Have you ever noticed how animals are VERY good at hiding pain or showing they are unwell. This is a highly evolved 'protective mechanism' of course - no single animal wants to be the sick one in the pack/herd/flock etc...

But how can we as pet lovers tell? Are they hot, cold, off their food? Are their gums red, yellow, white or pink? How are they standing? Is there a cough? How do you know if they have a heart problem? What is their fur like?

Leading industry body 'Pets Australia' CEO Dr Jo Sillince explains some specific symptoms to look for in cats. For instance do you know what 'kidney coat' is?

As always please see your vet for ANY signs of poor health in your pets.

Is Lavender OK For Our Pets?

Do you grow lavender at home? Do your dogs or cats love its fragrant smell?

Our 'old boy' Cosmo - (Min. Poodle sadly no longer with us) would often spend literally hours rolling in or brushing up against the rows of lavender bush in our back yard.

Cosmo was a very 'busy' dog. Always up to something. But after his 'lavender loving' sessions, he'd come inside covered in bits of purple flower, happy as anything then lay down and sleep for hours!

Caravan Park Update Hervey Bay

There are big changes coming to Fraser Coast’s hugely popular caravan parks – thanks to ‘people power’.

In late 2020 the Hervey Bay Council asked locals to take part in an online survey to provide feedback on which of a number of proposed changes should get the green light and there was an unexpectedly large response giving councillors a very clear insight into what people view as priorities.

To find out more we caught up with
Jade Wellings - Councillor Division 5, Fraser Coast

Easter Dangers For Pets
They say a little bit of chocolate is good for our health – providing minerals, anti-oxidants and flavonoids – and frankly with the Easter bunny on his way – it doesn’t hurt to have another reason to gift friends and family and especially kids with choccy treats and rain-stuffed Hot Cross buns.

While it might be just our waistlines that suffer – do please keep in mind our pets have a much better sense of smell than people… so if you’re hiding those goodies all around the garden or even just around the house – be warned – your dog or cat could win the game of hide and seek – but you could, potentially lose your pet.

Each year, Pet Insurance Australia’s Nadia Crighton sees a dramatic jump in claims for pets requiring hospitalisation after their forbidden treat – plus she warns there’s another popular Easter gift of floral bouquets which can be just as deadly for our pets.
 
 

Natural Vet Care

With the number of Holistic Veterinarians on the rise in Australia, we wanted to let you know the differences between so called 'Traditional' vet care Vs 'Holistic vet care'.

These might include Acupuncture, TCM (Chinese herbal medicine) and nutritional regimes.

By way of a 'disclaimer', Internationally renown Complementary Veterinarian, author and lecturer Dr Barbara Fougere from All Natural Vet was in fact our 'go to' vet while we were living in Sydney.

Dr Barbara believes this trend in bringing the best of East and West together is helping more and more pets enjoy its benefits.

Prefer to read?: Full Transcript 

Dealing With The Loss Of A Pet

Without a doubt – the very worst part about having a pet – is having to say goodbye. Sometimes they’ll simply pass in their sleep but sometimes we can provide a final gift of asking our vet to put euthanase them to put them out of their pain.

It’s a tough call for all of us pet owners for sure – and one we’ve personally experienced 4 times – so far. We’ve currently got a very old dog and I’m starting to dread her inevitable passing.

And while all of this is extremely normal – most people don’t realise they can get help from a grief counsellor with extra training in helping pet parents deal with the loss of a ‘fur-child’. Like Karen Jaques from Paws4Reflection

 Includes full transcript if you prefer to read.

Are Solo Dogs OK?
Do you have kids? What about fur-kids or feathered kids? Or do you have just one kid or one pet?
 
Whether you’re travelling or not, seems everyone has an opinion about the merits or problems of having an ‘only child’ whether human or animal – are they lonely? Do they get spoilt?
 
Longtime friend, Veterinarian and CEO of Pets Australia Dr Joanne Sillince is her to help answer the question… “Are Solo pets OK?”
 Includes full transcript if you prefer to read.
 
 

Heat Affected Dogs - Dr Karyn Wesserlingh

While the weather this year has been, cold, wet then hot again... whether you're travelling or not, heat is a big factor in the health of our pets - in this case dogs! And we were reminded of that recently sitting in the shade under a tree having coffee with friends the other day when Kaye realised she had copped a nasty sunburn! 

Lesson learned – the hard way – That protective shade of the tree moved!!   it’s also a timely reminder for us and other pet owners to plan how to provide adequate shelter, water and cooling mats or jackets to protect our pets from heat stress or the even worse condition Heat Stroke.

To help us and help you - we called on a friend who’s treated many pets for heat stress to give us her best advice on what to do if you suspect your best friend is heat affected - Dr Karyn Wesselingh from the Animal Referral Hospital in Baulkham Hills Sydney

Dry Eye Boogas - Dr Barbara Fougere

Did you know your eyes produce mucus which washes away dust and other irritating stuff in the air every time you blink?  But when you’re asleep and obviously not blinking that mucusy stuff doesn’t get washed away and you end up with crusty stuff when you wake up – politely known as ‘sleep’ in your eyes or better known as eye boogers.

Our pets get it too and it’s perfectly normal… most of the time…but not always and if you notice any chances in your pet’s eye boogers you really should see your vet as your pet’s sight can be at risk. Dr Barbara Fougere from All Natural Vet Care in Sydney, who’s a longtime pal and Internationally renown Integrative Veterinarian, author and lecturer explains why. 

Hungry Hervey Bay

Have Your Say on Fraser Coast website – www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/have-your-say 
* SURVEY NOW CLOSED: SEE UPDATE HERE!

Hervey Bay on QLD's fabulous Fraser Coast is a 'paradise' for tourists, nomads and holiday-makers with kids wanting to enjoy the ‘Wide Bay’s’ endless safe stretches of beach. Except if your kids have fur.

You see the only caravan parks situated right on the beachfront - and there are four of them - are owned by the local Council and don’t allow pets.

Hervey Bay councillor Jade Wellings thinks that’s not only unfair – she believes the region is missing out on valuable income because pet owners are by-passing Hervey Bay to go elsewhere to get beach-side locations – and she wants to get at least one or preferably two of the council’s caravan parks’ rules changed to allow pets.

Ok... you've decided to get up and go see Australia with or without the kids... but the 'most important' child can't be ignored right? The family dog. So many people are travelling with pets these days - dogs in particular - but the services like vets & groomers we're used to at home are not always easily available on the road.

What to do? - Especially if you have a longer haired dog like us - like Chica.... a Toy Poodle.

Now there are plenty of other longer haired breeds that need regular grooming like Dachies etc but so too do short haired breeds like Staffies or Whippets etc...

We asked long time friend and professional dog groomer Todd Clark from Morriset Dog Grooming how can travellers find a groomer they can 'trust'?

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