Christmas is just a few days away and many of you will be hitting the highways and skyways to visit with family and friends. For those of you driving with your dogs, here are a few safety reminders.

1) Please make sure your dog is secured in the car either in an appropriate harness , crate or car seat devise. 

2) Do NOT let them stick their heads out of the windows. There is danger of eye injuries as debris from the roadway can hit their faces.

3) Please stop along the way to give them a potty break and be sure they are leashed when you do so.

 A few months back I wrote a column for the local neighborhood papers on using automatic food and water dispensers. I do not care for them for several reasons but one of the major issues I have with them is that they don't get cleaned often enough.

Most people who use these devices choose them for their convenience. It is easy to fill them up and let the dog or cat just help themselves to however much they want to eat or drink. (A problem in itself I think). But because of the ease of use, people either forget or ignore the fact that these dispensers need to be cleaned, and often; particularly the bowl part that the pet eats or drinks from.

This article appeared in Dr. Karen Becker's daily email newsletter, "Healthy Pets".

"Recently, a young Australian Shepherd sampled some AA batteries and wound up in the veterinary hospital. When a dog chews and punctures a battery, the alkaline material can seep out, causing damage to tissues in and around the mouth, the esophagus, and farther down the GI tract. Symptoms of possible alkaline battery toxicosis also include difficulty swallowing, vomiting, abdominal pain, increased body temperature, black tarry feces, and an elevated white blood cell count.

  It's time once again to put one paw forward with hundreds of other San Diego dog lovers in the fight against canine cancer! The San Diego K9 Cancer Walk benefiting Morris Animal Foundation will take place Sunday, March 1, 2015, at Liberty Station.

Registration is now open for the 2015 walk! We hope to make this our best walk yet. We know it won’t be the same without you, so please sign up or start your team today and help Morris Animal Foundation continue to invest in cancer research that will create a brighter future for dogs.