Dyson DC41 Animal Ball Vacuum

The following is a guest post by Ashley:

A few days ago we purchase a Dyson DC41 Animal Ball vacuum. Living in an apartment complex with old carpeting and a dog who is shedding like crazy with it being Spring, we decided to run some tests just to see how much of a difference the vacuum actually makes. We sectioned off the living room and in the first section we used our old cheapo vacuum, the next section we used the Dyson, and in the third section we used no vacuum at all. Looking at the comparisons, you could see the difference the Dyson made. It actually pulls the carpet fibers back upright so the carpet is not matted down, not too mention the color difference. The feel of the carpet the Dyson was used on was different, too. It felt clean on bare feet, unlike the other two sections that still felt dirty. We emptied the Dyson bin and then ran the Dyson back over the carpeting that we used the cheapo on to see how much was missed. After doing so, the Dyson bin was filled 1/3 the way full of dirt and debris the cheapo had not picked up.

This vacuum is amazing! We cleaned the cealings, all the corners and edges of the rooms and hallways, and it even picks stuff up off the linoleum floors. The vacuum glides across the floor with ease, is SUPER light, and the lip is so flat it fits under all the furniture including the couches! We have used the vacuum every day since we purchased it and it's worth EVERY penny it cost us. I have not a bad thing to say about the Dyson other than it's so powerful we have lost a retraction cord from the blinds cleaning the windows (but even with that it was so easy to remove). They really did think of everything!

Dyson DC41 Animal Ball Vacuum passes The Trav Test with A+.

•Category: Products
•Location: Stores
•Cost: $599
•Ease of use:
 Easy
•The Trav Test grade: A+

Thundershirt

Simon, my 8 year old Jack Russell Terrier, is a nut. EVERYTHING gives him anxiety. Everything. From the slightest raising of the volume of one's voice so someone can hear to the vacuum to thunder and everything in between, Simon gets freaked out. I've tried calming tablets and while they totally work, they take hours to kick in so if a bad storm is approaching, it's probably over before they kick in. For anxiety-causing things that are planned, such as fireworks on the 4th of July, I could give him a tablet early enough for it to work, but then I have a loopy dog for the other 22 hours that there aren't fireworks going off. The vet has recommended giving him something like Paxil, but that's really expensive. Finally, a few months ago, the vet recommended trying Thundershirt. I looked at it in the clinic and did some research and ordered it.

The basic science of Thundershirt is sound. Applying constant pressure helps relieve things like anxiety and is a treatment I am familiar with for special needs students. It's like a constant hug, except you can still function because you don't have a person attached to you. Thundershirt has great reviews all over the internet and is veterinarian approved - plus with the 45 day money-back guarantee, it has to be good, right? Well, not for Simon.

Thundershirt arrived on a Wednesday, which was perfect since he had surgery planned for 2 days later. The instructions said to put food on it so it creates a positive association - simple classic conditioning - so I  put the Thundershirt on the floor and put a treat on it. Simon wouldn't touch it. After 30 minutes, I was sick of waiting, so I decided I'd put it on him even though he hadn't eaten the treat. When I started to open it, the velcro freaked him out and he went to hide, but I caught him. This wasn't the ideal first try, but hey, now he's experiencing anxiety so we'll see if it works! I put it on him and he went upstairs to hide under the bed. He wouldn't come out until he finally smelled his dinner being served and came down. After he ate, I took it off and the velcro again scared him so he went to hide under my car in the garage. Great.

2 days later was his surgery. When I went to put Thundershirt on him, he wasn't as freaked out by the velcro, but he still didn't love it. When I said we were going in the car, he was so excited that I could have put a vacuum on his back and he wouldn't have cared. When we got to the vet, he was okay - not great, but not terrible either. I thought maybe it was working since the website does say that it may take a few tries for some dogs. The vets took Thundershirt off of Simon while he was put under and I didn't touch it for a week since he was doing a lot of sleeping anyway. For his 1-week follow-up, I put it on him. The velcro had little to no impact this time, but he was awful at the vet. He barked, growled, and snapped at the vet. Great. At his 2-week follow-up, he wasn't naughty, but he was very, very anxious.

Out of 4 tries, none had any impact. With the 45 day window coming close, I washed it, plucked the hair off of it, and sent it back. I was really hoping it would work, but it didn't. Since the science makes sense and so many others have found it to be amazing, I can't say that Thundershirt is crap, I just think my dog is a freak of nature. If you have an anxious dog, I'd say give it a try, but make sure you're watching the calendar so you can return it if need be. Maybe it will work for your dog, maybe not.

A JRT wearing Thundershirt (not Simon)

Thundershirt fails The Trav Test with an Incomplete. 


• Category: Products

• Location: Online, Vet Clinics, Stores

• Cost: $39.95

• Ease of use: Easy

• The Trav Test grade: Incomplete (The first incomplete ever!)

Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator

While I have only had the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator for just under 1 week, I am already a huge fan!  As I noted in the review preview, I was rather nervous to use it.  Many of the reviews on Amazon.com and other similar sites said that there were issues with water leaking into the battery housing and to avoid the product until those issues were resolved.  I'm not sure if the manufacturer changed the product or not, but I have not had any problems.  Knowing how the product is assembled, I have to assume that the problems are caused by user error.

With the aforementioned problem not posing an issue for me, I am happy to report that the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator is a great product.  I have had sinus issues for years.  I had polyps removed and my sinus openings enlarged almost 10 years ago.  I've had intense sinus pressure and infections consistently over the last 2 years and was beginning to think that the polyps were back.  Since the polypectomy was the absolute worst pain I could imagine, I was not rushing to have it again.

In the last week, I have used the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator daily before bed.  My sinus pressure and most recent infection are gone.  I also cannot remember the last time I was able to breathe as well as I can today.  My ability to breathe freely is most likely a combination of the effects of the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator alone as well as the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator allowing my Nasonex nasal spray to work more effectively.  If these results continue, I think I will be using this product every day for the foreseeable future.  While the cost of the WaterPik Sinusense Soothing Saline Easy-Pour Packs adds up, at about 12¢ per day (120 for $15 on Amazon), it's certainly worth it.  It's even cheaper through Walgreens using the manufacturer coupon and Walgreens rewards.

Using the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator isn't the most comfortable thing, but it's definitely not painful either.  The sensation is similar to getting water up your nose while swimming.  I have found that using warmer water is more comfortable as colder water more closely resembles drowning.  It's difficult to describe - not unpleasant, but also not pleasant.  10 seconds (per nostril) of an awkward feeling is certainly worth the benefits, though!  If by some chance my results disappear or the battery housing begins to leak, I will post an update. As of today, however, I'd say this product is one of my new favorite things!

Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator passes The Trav Test with an A+.

 • Category: Products, Sinuses, Medical, Health

 • Location: Online or in stores nationwide

 • Cost: Varies.  $35.20 on Amazon.  $34.99 from Waterpik.  I got mine on sale for $29.99 at Walgreens plus I had a $10 coupon from Waterpik's website!  $19.99 cannot be beat!

 • Ease of use: Easy!

 • The Trav Test grade: A+

Gloves In A Bottle

Winter is harsh on skin for pretty much every single person, but those of us with already dry skin are even worse off.  The combination of winter's ravage and constant use of hand sanitizer at the office to avoid the flu left my hands dry and cracked.  My knuckles were so dry that they would often bleed slightly.  Fed up with the dryness, I set out to find a lotion that truly moisturized and protected my hands without making me smell like an old lady or feel extremely greasy.  After months of searching, I found Gloves In A Bottle.


Gloves In A Bottle is an effective lotion that can be found in many stores across the country and ordered online.  Because it claims to not be easily washed off, it is considered a shielding lotion.  Gloves In A Bottle stopped my bleeding knuckles with one use.  After a few days of use, my hands had absolutely no signs of dryness at all.  The product even added so much moisture to my cuticles that I haven't had a hangnail in weeks.  While unscented, the lotion does have a certain smell, but it fades away once dry and isn't caused by any added fragrance(s).  Gloves In A Bottle also does not feel greasy - something that I hate with other lotions.  After a few seconds, the product is absorbed by the skin and I can even use my iPhone without any hesitation.  The product simply works and for this reason, I cannot rave about it enough.  I have absolutely no complaints and would highly recommend Gloves In A Bottle to everyone!

Gloves In A Bottle passes The Trav Test with an A+

• Category: Products, Skin Care, Health

• Location: Stores nationwide or Online

• Cost: $14.95 per 8oz bottle (individually)

• Ease of use: Easy

• The Trav Test grade: A+