Please tag your pets

I've said this before but can't repeat to many times. If you are traveling or staying a few days in one area locate the nearest vet office. We travel with elderly dogs and because we had found the nearest vet when we arrived to our destination, we were ready the next day when our little girl had a life threatening episode. We actually lost her as we entered the building, but they were able to revive her. Now when we plan our travels, I spend as much time looking up vets,reviews and directions as I do campgrounds. Carry a printed list with us and a med history for each. Ounce of prevention!

I prefer Boomerang collar tags over the tags that hang from the d rings. Collar tags won’t come off a collar and can’t snag on anything (saw a dog hung on a fence because the tag got snagged when it tried to climb over the fence).

One thing to remember is when you are away from home with your pet, having emergency contacts can be hit or miss.

I often camp where there is no cell coverage. In addition, it may be a long way from home.

If my dog got lost, a micro chip may not be checked for at least a day maybe longer. A tag may get that number called sooner, but you may not get the message until you've driven back into an area with cell service.

Having an old fashioned barrel tag IN ADDITION to the others can allow someone to drive the dog directly to your campsite while you are still there.

Also, as I get older, I think of other precautions:

Keep a paper with a description, age, sex and name of your dog(s) on your person. If you collapse while hiking, etc., that paper can get your dog back to you if it runs off scared.

dturm wrote:

maddog348 wrote:
"....micro chopping...."?? ouch

It's really not that bad. We use a needle that's just about the size of the one used to collect blood from people. Also, the location of the chip (between the shoulders) has the lowest pain/sensory nerve innervation as just about anywhere on the body.

Not that I'd like one put in me :B but the benefits far out weigh the minor pain.

Doug, DVM

I think maddog was referring to micro chOpping rather than micro chIpping... :)

Our dog's travel collars have the cell number stitched into the collar and also have a tag with names and numbers attached to the collar.

maddog348 wrote:
"....micro chopping...."?? ouch

It's really not that bad. We use a needle that's just about the size of the one used to collect blood from people. Also, the location of the chip (between the shoulders) has the lowest pain/sensory nerve innervation as just about anywhere on the body.

Not that I'd like one put in me :B but the benefits far out weigh the minor pain.

Doug, DVM

SidecarFlip wrote:
I might add a current rabies vacination and tag is advisable for any dog when camping. One never knows.

Yep. I keep a copy of the rabies cert in the glove box of each vehicle.

Many places won't accept the rabies tag as proof, so keep that in mind.

I might add a current rabies vacination and tag is advisable for any dog when camping. One never knows.

Our dog lost his tags on the beach last week. That never happened before and he came when I called him. The d-ring on the collar pulled apart. I don't think a phone number on a tag is enough, you need the chip.

I have a travel tag and a home tag for each dog. They stay on the appropriate collar/harness.

The home tag has my cell phone number. The travel tag has my cell phone number AND the license plate number of my RV.

I also will use those old style "barrel" tags and put a slip of paper inside with the campground, site number, and days I am there. Just another way for folks to reconnect me with my dogs.

I also have the rabies tag and the license tag.

And yes, my dogs AlWAYS have a collar or harness on them. And if we are out of a fenced area, they are leashed.