Lifestyle

Four Paws on the Road – March/April 2018

Traveling and Camping with Companion Animals

By Jen Swope-Gehr

Q– Hi Jen, In watching the current trend of CBD hemp oil‘s come to popularity I have a question about any experience that you might have with these products for our dogs. Without getting too much into it, are there any trusted name brands that you know of off hand that I could look into for further information and have you ever seen truly positive benefits when the oil is used for dogs with pain.

Thank you,
Tyra Barton

A– I appreciate your inquiry, Tyra, and I am a firm believer in natural, organic options for ourselves and our pets whenever possible. I also appreciate your candor and will tell you that at first, I was very skeptical about everything marijuana wise coming to the market. With solid education, we find clarity. In my opinion and experience, PetReleaf.com offers the highest quality, organic, human grade Hemp and CBD options on the market. Their use of third-party laboratories for testing to be certain that each product is completely safe and effective prior to use and sales distribution is impressive and wins my vote of confidence. I trust this company because they are in the USA at the largest USDA organic, full spectrum certified hemp farm in the country. PetReleaf is non-GMO and their hemp is extracted by supercritical CO2 method which sets them apart from the industry standards and others on the market today. The product is so pure because of the critical CO2 extraction method, this ensures that every product has no contraindications which means that it won’t interfere with any other medications your pet is currently receiving and has no negative side effects. The sourcing and extraction for hemp is extremely important as the hemp plant absorbs that which is in the soil and the plants leaves are then transferred over to the product when expressed. Scientific evidence has proven that the use cannabinol (CBD) in all mammals including humans and pets is so effective at treating anxiety, pain inflammation and many other health issues it’s shocking why it’s not an every day go to over modern day pharmaceuticals. When whole plant compounds are used your pet is receiving a full spectrum of phytocannabinoids that will help with pain, aid the digestive track, help maintain blood sugar levels and improve cognitive function. These compounds do not contain THC, therefore, they do not make your pet feel drowsy. It’s exciting to see so many veterinarians getting on board and supporting holistic care. With so many options to choose from for administering a daily dose of CBD Hemp Oil to your pet its easy and most certainly a topic to study as the proven benefits are too great to ignore.

Q– Jen! I have 3, curvy French bulldogs who need winter jackets for snow days here in Idaho and I’m struggling to find a warm option that doesn’t constrict their boxy shoulders. As you know, these bully breeds are chesty and broad- perfect of course! Have you any suggestions that work well for your Boston crew? Love your column and we love to travel with our wonderful pets. Say! We thank you for the 12-volt Fantastic Fan idea to help keep my crew cool when I’m the van! It really is fantastic and we never leave home without it from spring to late fall.

Be well,
Clara and Tom Bush

A– Hello, Bush Family!! Ohh yes I can absolutely relate to your proper fitting dilemma and I’m excited to share with you a product that I am so excited about! The Quinzee Insulated Jacket from Ruffwear in Bend, OR has been thoughtfully designed to solve the unique fitting issues we both experience with our dogs. Each jacket has an integrated stuff sack for easy packability when on the go and are constructed with weather resistant, 200g synthetic insulation and polyester fabric that is warm enough for snow days. My favorite feature of the Quinzee is the self-locking neck zipper that provides a custom fit to accommodate different dog neck and chest shapes/sizes. The shoulder area is completely free from tight construction behind the elbow and allows the dog a full range of motion in the front legs while keeping the chest area and sternum warm. Available in a beautiful lime green, rich raspberry or a twilight gray color, the coat is trimmed with low light reflective tape and has a small loop for attaching a night light. I certainly understand and appreciate each one of these features and year after year, I’m always impressed with the effort that Ruffwear pours into their performance dog gear. This coat will not disappoint! Thanks for writing in and I love that you are a Fantastic Fan convert- they are a must have for any RVer who travels with an animal at all times of the year.

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