SEA SICKNESS
Just as people get seasick, so too can a canine cruiser. Indications of sea sickness include fatigue, disorientation and clumsiness. We give Kona Gravol, a human medication to prevent motion sickness, wrapped in meat one hour before we leave, if we expect choppy water. Once a dog gets sick it is too late to give them pills. Check with your vet to determine the correct dosage for your animal.
Kona travels well with us as long as the sea is not rough. When that happens she stands in the salon and pants. If the weather gets really bad and the boat is pitching, I usually lay down in the salon and she then lays on top of me for reassurance, which, as I'm sure you can imagine, makes for an even more unpleasant ride.
When we are underway on a bright sunny day and sitting out on the bow of our boat, she is happy to hang her head over the side and watch the sea go by. If another boat passes nearby she seems to be able to read the waves and knows when we are going to be rocked by the passing wake. She will either quickly move back inside the boat through the pilot house doors, or crouch down low until the rocking motion has ceased.
HYDRATION AND HEAT
Water, water everywhere – but give them lots to drink. Always have plenty of water for dogs to hydrate themselves, and make sure you let them drink before going to shore. Otherwise, they will drink from the river, lake or sea and you could end up with a sick dog. We carry a sports bottle with a wide-mouth cap that is dedicated to Kona's use when we are hiking or at the beach.
Excessive sun exposure can also cause problems for animals, just as it does for humans. This includes sun stroke, heat cramps, and heat exhaustion. Dogs do not sweat and panting is their normal means to expel excess heat. But excessive panting and drooling, or an abnormally rapid pulse, are danger signals that your pet may be suffering from heat stroke. If your pet shows any of these signs, heat stroke may be the culprit. Place your pet in a tub of cool running water or spray her with a hose, making sure the cool water contacts the skin and doesn't simply run off the coat. Thoroughly wet the belly and inside the legs, and run the cool water over the tongue and mouth. Take a rectal temperature, if your pet will allow it, to know when to stop cooling. A safe temperature is about 103 degrees, and time to stop cooling. Seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.
Remember too that dogs absorb heat through the pads on their feet, so be sure to protect them by either cooling the deck with water or making a piece of nonskid carpet available. Boat surfaces such as fiberglass can get extremely hot in the sun.
Like anyone aboard your boat, animals can be injured and you should be prepared for that as well. Bandages, antiseptics and other common supplies found in a good first aid kit can treat animals as well as people, but the similarities stop with medication. Animals and humans have different physiology, requiring different treatment and dosages. Anything more than minor should be referred to a veterinarian when possible.
Distance cruisers may find it worthwhile to have a book on hand, such as Pet First Aid, which was published by the American Red Cross. While it is not meant to replace veterinary care, a good first-aid book can provide valuable advice when faced with an emergency at sea. In addition, many veterinarians are now offering first aid courses for pets in their offices. A call to your vet could put you in touch with a class in your area.
GETTING TO SHORE
Kona has a very sensitive stomach and feeding her anything other than dry kibble dog food is chancy. We learned our lesson after being beckoned out of a warm bed by a whining dog in the wee hours of the morning to make a trip to shore. We have determined she can eat a bit of rice, a few raw clam or oyster tidbits, and a crust of bread for a breakfast treat. She gets five cups of dry foot each day and she typically eats it after we have eaten our dinner. We store a large bag of her food under one of our floor hatches in the salon.
