BajaNomad

Pets?

Cygnet2 - 2-16-2010 at 02:10 AM

I'm looking for info on taking my dog to La Paz..I'm moving there in April and I'm wondering what your experiences were with taking you pets to Baja...
Sny hints?

k-rico - 2-16-2010 at 04:05 AM

The tap water may have the same effect on them as you. It did on my dogs, they don't drink Mex tap water anymore.

noproblemo2 - 2-16-2010 at 04:28 AM

check your U2U

Cyanide41 - 2-16-2010 at 09:46 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by k-rico
The tap water may have the same effect on them as you. It did on my dogs, they don't drink Mex tap water anymore.


Wow, good point, I never thought about that. I am trying to think of where my dog's water came from on his last trip.

NoProblemo... There are forms required but most people have never been asked for them. If I was moving down there permanently, I would just chance it, but keep in mind that they COULD ask and deny Fido entry. You might want to locate a vet near San Ysidro (or wherever you plan on crossing) just in case, you need to make a quick stop.

bajajudy - 2-16-2010 at 11:34 AM

Get the forms. There is nothing wrong with having your pet checked out before you bring them down here anyway just to make sure that they are up to date on their shots and in good general health.

dtbushpilot - 2-16-2010 at 12:12 PM

And remember that Mexico requires yearly rabies shots unlike the 3 year requirement in the US. I asked our MX vet about it and he said it was the same shot, same potency etc. The effect of the vaccine wears off over time so your pet doesn't have the same level of protection in the third year as the first. He said that your pet is more likely to be exposed to Rabies in MX than in the states thus the yearly requirement.

I agree with Judy, it never hurts to have your pets checked out before a journey and change of residence/lifestyle.

We don't give our pets tap water either, if I don't drink it I shouldn't expect them to.

How are you traveling cygnet? Flying, driving and from where?..dt

MikeYounghusband - 2-16-2010 at 03:10 PM

I take my dogs several times a year and have never had a hint of a problem. Just don't let them come in contact with mexican dogs, keep thier shots up and I agree with the water. Also watch out for ticks.

mtgoat666 - 2-16-2010 at 03:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by spi619
Just don't let them come in contact with mexican dogs,


:?: what about my dog born in baja?

sounds like a lot of dogs here drink perrier when traveling south of the border :lol:

my dog drinks out of american toilets, and licks most anything, so i figure he can stomach mexican tap water.

bajabass - 2-16-2010 at 03:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by spi619
I take my dogs several times a year and have never had a hint of a problem. Just don't let them come in contact with mexican dogs, keep thier shots up and I agree with the water. Also watch out for ticks.
My collie is a tick magnet. Get your dog on Frontline or a similar product a few months before you go. Check for ticks constantly! If your dog is picky about food, bring a lot of the usual, as many brands may not be available. You can blend it with the new, for a gradual transition to a different brand. I am also planning on a move to La Paz soon. As for Mexican dogs, my dog loves playing with any breathing dog, so I let him run, and check him afterward. It would break his heart if I kept him from the La Mision Ejido mutts! A beautiful tri-color collie, looks like royalty in comparison!!

bajabass - 2-16-2010 at 03:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by spi619
Just don't let them come in contact with mexican dogs,


:?: what about my dog born in baja?

sounds like a lot of dogs here drink perrier when traveling south of the border :lol:

my dog drinks out of american toilets, and licks most anything, so i figure he can stomach mexican tap water.
:yes: If they can lick their own burro, the tap water should be fine!

Woooosh - 2-17-2010 at 09:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by spi619
Just don't let them come in contact with mexican dogs,


:?: what about my dog born in baja?

sounds like a lot of dogs here drink perrier when traveling south of the border :lol:

my dog drinks out of american toilets, and licks most anything, so i figure he can stomach mexican tap water.


I agree. Maybe it depends where in baja you are I guess. The water here in Rosarito tests just fine. My 6 dogs drink it and are just fine too.

If you change their food suddenly when you get them into Mexico they will have diarrhea- and you might mistake that for a water reaction. The stress of a new environment can have a negative effect on them too.

Even I'm not afraid to brush my teeth with the local water in the shower or to cook with it. Mainland Mexico is different.

[Edited on 2-17-2010 by Woooosh]

Woooosh - 2-17-2010 at 09:33 AM

This is why you don't see many cats... good eating (and not just for the fast dogs).

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_dri...

oldlady - 2-17-2010 at 09:40 AM

Brought our yellow lab down four years ago (she was eleven). Had her vaccinated and got papers, it was no big deal. No one asked for them.
She's had no problems. Eats whatever food we buy...ours or hers, but not keen on chiles. Drinks the tap water, trying to keep her from drinking pool water tends to be a losing battle. Ticks are a big issue, frontline helps a lot. She's still going strong. Adapted well.

josie - 2-17-2010 at 10:59 AM

My two dogs come down with me every trip and will be permanent residents with me in Baja once we finish the work on the house. They always drink the local tap water and never once had any problems. I cook with it, make my coffee with it and never been an issue. Maybe some folks (and dogs) have more sensitive systems than I do? The only time I had a reaction to tap water was in San Diego at the home of a friend I used to work with. She apologized and told me that San Diego has some of the worst tap water in the nation. My dogs didn't have any trouble drinking her tap water either.

ecomujeres - 2-17-2010 at 07:50 PM

While I'm not a vet, I have worked in the Mulege vet clinic where mange and heart worm were big (the latter especially after the rainy season since it's a mosquito-borne disease).

If you'll be in La Paz year-round, you might want to consider a treatment such as Revolution, that besides ticks and fleas, also protects against heartworm, sarcoptic mange and ear mites.

absinvestor - 2-17-2010 at 08:04 PM

We are currently in La Paz with our Golden Retriever and an Australian Shepherd. We bring Eukanuba dry food. They are both spoiled and we give them a little canned dog food in the morning and at night (just a couple of ounces each time.) We also bring enough of the canned food since if we change they get diarrea for a day or so. We drink bottled water and give them the same. We get 5 gallons of bottled water for about 80 cents so the cost of giving them bottled water is not significant. In the early 90's we lived in Baja for a couple of years with a different dog. We also fed him Eukanuba and one kind of the wet canned food. He also drank bottled water. Sometimes, better safe than sorry. Our dogs get their yearly shots and so far no ticks!! (We traveled to the deep south last year and the ticks were terrible so we do have the tick treatment from Frontline if we find any ticks- however, that stuff is not cheap!!) Ron and Patty

k-rico - 2-17-2010 at 08:14 PM

The tap water issue will vary depending upon the source of the water, of course, and for a given source the quality may vary.

I have Tijuana city water and while I'm sure maybe a million people drink it everyday, I won't and I won't give it to the dogs either anymore. I did at first and I noticed water left in the bowl started getting green after a couple/few days and diarrhea was a problem. My wife is a native and she won't even cook with tap water.

I didn't drink tap water in San Diego either but for different reasons. In TJ I worry about bacteria, in San Diego I was worried about chemicals that have 30 letter names (pesticides) that are derived from Xylon-B. Just kidding, sort of.

Plus one of my dogs is a Keeshond and if you know what they are you'll understand that diarrhea is a disaster with them. I don't risk it.


[Edited on 2-18-2010 by k-rico]

bajafam - 2-17-2010 at 10:10 PM

Just a tip, as far as the tick thing goes, put a little bit of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar in their water and/or food daily. The ticks and fleas hate it and it's good for the dogs (and cats) digestive and urinary system, as well as a host of other good things!!! It's cheap, too....try it!!!

josie - 2-18-2010 at 09:51 AM

I remember my mom used to do the vinegar thing with her dogs when we lived in what used to be a rural part of Southern California years ago. We thought she was nuts but they never did have a tick problem. How much is a little bit?

bajafam - 2-18-2010 at 03:35 PM

I put in about 3 tsp. into the dog water bowl. A splash into the cat's. I also pour about the same amount over the cat's food, and maybe a little more over the dog's. The key is to not put in too much so that it affects the flavor and makes them not eat or drink. I think it all depends on your pet. Some pets will tolerate the flavor more, some less. Experiment. We also had a problem with one of our cats getting pink eye and rubbed some OACV into the fur around his neck. He licked it off and we reapplied a couple times a day for three or four days and his eye is all cleared up! So, if your pet won't eat or drink the vinegar on his/her own, rub it into the fur and they'll lick it off. It works wonders for sooooo many ailments (in humans, too).