Pet Travel and pet friendly hotels and lodging
Thinking of traveling with your pet? Welcome then to the one stop pet travel section of Ask The Vet. I've
received a few questions about pet travel and many owners want to know the low down about pet travel whether
it's by car (local pet travel) or if it's because they are moving overseas and want to take their pet with them. Find
pet friendly hotels and lodging - I've compiled an exhaustive list of 1000s of hotels worldwide that will accommodate
your pets. Are there any pet travel tips that you can keep handy so that you can make that transition less
stressful? I'll cover car travel with your pet here - pet air travel is a completely different kettle of fish.
Pet travel tip 1
Sit down and ask yourself this - do you really want your pet to travel with you? I'm not talking about the moving overseas or interstate scenario, but the annual family holiday or the weekend away. There are options such as hiring a dog-sitter, kennelling your pet, asking a nice neighbor to mind the house and pet whilst you are away. Some pets just don't appreciate the stress of traveling, the new environment and whilst you might think it's a great idea for them to experience the holiday with you, they may not think so. This is especially true for cats who really dislike changes. You may find that you'll spend the rest of your holiday looking for your cat because it bolted free when you got to your holiday destination. Dogs are generally more amenable to travel, some absolutely thrive on adventure, others (usually the shy, nervous ones) would much rather stay in the comforts and security of their own home environment. Sit down and think hard about it.
Pet travel tip 2
If you are set of taking your pet traveling, then you need to do some preparations. If you are planning on a long car ride, how well does your pet take to travel normally? Does your pet usually get car sick? It is not a good idea to take your pet for a long car travel holiday as it's first maiden voyage. You are just courting disaster and you might just end up with vomit all over the back of your car - I know...I've been there. It's usually best to prepare your pet for the traveling. Consider the following points :
- does your pet usually fret on short car journeys? If so, then a long car journey may not be a good idea, no matter how good your intentions. Car sick dogs or cats who dislike car rides are not uncommon. Try a few short car trips first before embarking on a long one with your pet.
- have you considered giving your pet a tranquilizer for the journey? If so, then you need to plan in advance and usually the suggestion is to try the drug dose out before you use it on the journey. Not every animal reacts the same with the similar dose of drug - some need more, others need less, others react in totally unexpected ways.
- where is your pet going to sleep at the holiday destination? You need to find out from pet friendly hotels if they allow your pets to stay with you or if they have other arrangements ie they have to sleep outside? If you need to bring a crate along for your pet, is it going to fit in your car? Plus is it going to take up so much space that you don't have any room for luggage in the boot?
- bring along familiar things for your pet eg their bedding, their favorite blanket, toys, feeding bowls. Just as some of us can't sleep without our favorite pillows, your pet will feel less stressed with familiar smells and things surrounding him/her.
- ensure that you pet has some form of identification on him/her - be it a collar with your contact details (ensure that it is current) or a microchip.
- if your holiday is going to be a long one, it's probably best to have your pet's health checked by your veterinarian if you haven't done so in the last month or so. You don't want to have to find a vet during your holiday because you overlooked some health problem before departure. If your pet is suffering from a chronic condition that needs medication, ensure you have enough for the whole trip. If you are going camping or entering possible tick infested areas, then take along some Frontline Plus or Advantix - you don't want to have your pet catch any tick diseases. It's probably wise to take a pet first-aid kit when you travel to deal with any emergencies
- take a leash, dry pet food for the journey (much easier and less messy than the moist variety) and some bottled water in case you can't find ready water supplies during the trip.
- NO BIG meals straight before a trip. A light meal is probably okay.
Pet travel tip 3
Ensure that your pet is traveling safely - by this I mean cats should be in a crate/cage and dogs suitably restrained whether it's with a pet harness or pet carrier. Do not let your dog put his/her head out the window - I know they absolutely adore the wind in their faces and seem to be thoroughly enjoying themselves but particles of dirt can lodge in their eyes and noses and result in injury. It is advisable to stop every 2-3 hours to let your dog stretch his/her legs (use the leash - do not let them run loose - unless it's in a enclosed area) and to give them toilet, snack, water breaks at the same time. Do not leave your pet in the car in any circumstances - if you are just going to go to the toilet, that's fine, but if you are going to be any longer than 5 minutes, your pet can get dehydrated very quickly on a hot summer's day. So if you are stopping for lunch, take your pet out of the car.
Read about pet air travel
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