HELOISE Take precautions when flying with pets

Dear Readers: Summer is the time when many people travel, and if you are planning to take your pet on a plane, you should keep a few important details in mind.
When making reservations, inquire about nonstop or direct flights in the early morning, avoiding the heat of the day.
Also, ask about the airline's rules for flying with your pet. There are regulations you must follow, such as the type of carrying case needed. A dog's or cat's carrying case should be large enough for it to sit, stand and lie down in. Write your name address and phone number as well as the phone number of someone else who can be contacted on index cards. Tape one to the inside and one to the outside of the carrying case.
There will be paperwork you will be required to fill out before traveling within the United States with your pet. The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends calling your veterinarian to find out if anything else is needed besides an up-to-date health certificate and a record of your pet's shots. Heloise
Dear Readers: Jean Hodgdon of Manchester, N.H., sent in a photo of her 5-month-old cat, Robby. The photo shows him sitting at the head of the table waiting for "breakfast."
Visit my Web site, www.Heloi-se.com, and click on This Week's Pet to see Robby sitting up. He looks like he has wonderful table manners. Send your favorite, unusual pet photo to: Heloise/Pet Photo, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279. Heloise
Dear Readers: When it's hot and humid, take some precautions with your pet when outdoors! The heat of the day is not the time to play, for both people and pets. Dogs can easily become dehydrated, so make sure there is water for them at all times.
They can also suffer from overexposure to the sun, so it is important that they have shade to rest in and cool down. Short-haired dogs and cats can get sunburn -- especially white cats. Their ears are susceptible to burning and potential skin cancer, so ask your vet for a sunblock to use. Do not use human sunblock. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I subscribe to several pet magazines and never used to throw them away, so they piled up. When I made a visit to my veterinarian, I noticed several old magazines in the waiting room. I asked if he would like to have a bunch of them, especially since lots of them were about domestic animals. He was delighted.
Before I brought them in, I marked out my name and address from the address label. I know how important magazines can be for people waiting -- reading interesting articles seems to make the time go by. A Reader, Via E-mail
FYI: Don't throw away birdseed from your pet bird's seed dish. There usually are plenty of seeds left mixed in with empty seed husks.
Dump the dish out into a container before you fill it with fresh seed. Every few days or once a week, put it in your outdoor bird feeder along with the wild birdseed. Heloise
XSend a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, Fax: (210) HELOISE or E-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate