Traveling With Your Pet
Prepare Your Pet for Travel
In our mobile society, chances are good that your pet will be
transported during its lifetime. Whether for an annual visit to
your veterinarian or a weekend trip, your pet will travel. To
predict problems that may arise, consider the circumstances of
a trip. Is the trip more or less than 2 or 3 hours long? If it
is a long trip, will you have opportunities to visit with your
pet? Will your pet be within view or secluded in a separate compartment?
Will your pet be confined to a carrier or crate?
When possible, prepare your pet by gradually exposing it to elements
or sequences of the trip and then practice departures. If your
pet is not used to traveling, brief frequent trips are the best
way to expose your pet to this experience. The steps are detailed
below. As long as your pet's basic comforts are attended to, the
trip should go well. For short trips, remove food at least 2 hours
before starting the trip. For longer trips, remove food several
hours before the trip. You may feed your pet after the trip. Offer
small amounts of water until an hour before travel. Depending
on the length of the trip, water bowls can be left in the carrier
or not. Play with your pet or engage it in some kind of positive
interaction before you leave home. If your pet is well exercised
before it is confined, it will be more comfortable. Make sure
your dog has a long walk or your cat has enough time to use the
litter before its confinement. Your pet will be less likely to
become nauseated or to soil itself during confinement if it is
given every opportunity to void before departure. Most pets become
adjusted to travel with frequent travel opportunities. They may
feel more secure if they are confined to a sturdy and well-ventilated
carrier. Cats and small or medium-sized dogs may learn to travel
in pet carriers designed for travel. Large dogs, for example,
may be confined behind special gates that section off the back
of a motor vehicle. Have your pet's general health evaluated by
a veterinarian before you leave on a long trip. Ideally, this
should be scheduled well before an anticipated trip and not left
for the last minute. Vaccinations should be updated. Make a list
of your pet's known physical disorders and any new problems that
have developed since your last visit. If you are going overseas,
your veterinarian may be able to advise you regarding reports
of pet health problems prevalent at your destination. Consult
the embassy or consulate of the country you will visit for information
on any documents or special vaccinations that your pet will require.
Have these with you at the veterinary appointment. Your veterinarian's
signature may be required to clear your pet's health status for
custom officials. If you are traveling within the United States,
ask your veterinarian if there are any diseases in the area you
will visit that are a threat to your pet's health. When you return,
take in a stool sample for analysis in case your pet has acquired
any intestinal parasites. You may wish to schedule an appointment
with your veterinarian to check for other parasites, such as heartworms
or fleas, or any other problem noticed during the trip.
Fear and Anxiety During Travel
Regardless of the mode of transportation and the reasons for
it, several behavioral problems may arise because of fear. Fear
may cause hyperexcitability and agitation, hyperventilation, vocalization
(whining, meowing), attempts to escape or hide, aggressiveness,
nausea, vomiting, defecation and urination. Destruction of the
interior of your car or pet carrier may indicate fear or anxiety,
particularly if the pet is isolated from you. A pet can turn its
fear or anxiety against itself by excessive self-grooming during
the trip. Fearful responses to travel may worsen or remain relatively
constant over time. Your pet may become fearful before a trip
if it learns to recognize signs of impending departures. Very
young or aging pets can show effects after travel. The stress
of travel can decrease a pet's resistance to disease. Intense
fear can result in serious illness in animals with undiagnosed
or inapparent ailments.
Use of Sedatives or Tranquilizers
Tranquilizers or sedatives intended to ease your pet's fear during
transport are usually not necessary. Such drugs should probably
be reserved for pets that suffer from extreme fear or anxiety
during travel, and should only be used at your veterinarian's
recommendation. The type of medication and its dosage must be
appropriate for your pet's age, basic temperament, degree of emotional
upset during travel, duration of travel and physical status. Most
drugs used for this purpose are short acting, with a peak effect
lasting only several hours. For longer trips, it may not be worthwhile
to sedate your pet, though it may help it through the first part
of the trip. The risks of tranquilizing your pet must be weighed
against the benefits. Some pets become more anxious when a tranquilizer
begins to take effect. An unusual reaction to tranquilizers can
make a pet agitated and excitable. It may help to do a "test
run" by giving a dose of the medication a few days before
travel so as to observe its effects on your pet. If your pet's
only problem during travel is nausea or vomiting, medication to
combat motion sickness may be all that is required.
Surface Travel
Most pets travel in the family car. Problems relating to car
travel may be divided into 2 categories. Instinctive fear or anxiety
is most commonly seen in young pets that are unfamiliar with vehicle
motion. If your pet has positive experiences during car travel,
it will lose its fear. A pet can become fearful or anxious after
a single stressful car ride (or its destination). Pets commonly
begin to fear car travel after experiencing some uncomfortable
procedure at their veterinarian's office. Their fears will likely
fade, however, if they routinely travel in the car to other places.
You can teach your pet not to fear traveling in the car. If the
animal balks at approaching the car, play with it near the parked
car. Give treats to reward calm behavior, or feed small portions
of its regular meal, moving closer to the car. Feed your pet in
the parked car, reassuring it with praise. Alternatively, give
your pet a special treat or brush its coat if it enjoys being
groomed. It may take days or even weeks for your pet to relax
in the parked car. Once the dog is calm in the parked car, turn
on the motor and go for a short trip around the block. As your
pet learns to tolerate this stage, extend your trips. If your
pet travels in a pet carrier, begin to feed your pet in the carrier
in your home, with the carrier door open, before continuing the
process in your car, as outlined above. Pets that enjoy car travel
can also pose problems. A pet that is allowed to move freely and
jump around from lap to lap may distract the driver, injure itself
and other passengers, and damage the car's interior. Secure your
pet in a carrier or have it restrained by another passenger. Dogs
should be taught desirable behavior in the car by maintaining
a "sit/stay" or "down/stay" position. Do not
let your dog extend its head or lean out of a car's open window
or travel unrestrained in the back of pickup trucks. Your dog
could jump out of the car or be thrown into traffic in case of
a sudden swerve or stop. Wind, dust and debris may injure your
dog's eyes, ears and nasal passages, causing infection, inflammation
or serious injury. Keep windows slightly open and lock doors.
Seat belts designed for pets are an option for dogs that do not
tolerate cages. Pets should be gradually accustomed to these before
an extended trip. If possible, never leave your pet unattended
in a car. During warm weather, the car's interior can heat up
drastically and could kill your pet in a short time. If you must
leave your pet for just a few minutes in the car during warm weather,
park in a shady area and partially roll down the windows for adequate
ventilation. During cold weather, leaving your pet in the car
for extended periods is inhumane. Your pet is safer at home where
it is safe from harsh conditions or theft.
Air Travel
If you are planning to fly with your pet, inquire first about
the airline's policy regarding transport of pets. Speak with your
travel agent and the air carrier's representative when making
your flight plans. This information could help you to decide which
airline best suits your needs. Avoid making reservations first
and then discovering unacceptable conditions regarding your pet's
travel. If your pet is to be kept in the baggage compartment,
ask about the conditions there. If you are told that the temperature
in the baggage compartment will be cooler than what your pet is
used to, place an extra blanket in its crate. Unless your pet
is used to wearing a coat, this is probably not a good time to
start, as overheating is as uncomfortable as feeling cold. A healthy
pet can well endure slight temperature fluctuations. Ask whether
anyone attends the pets in transit. Unless you are traveling for
longer than a day or can take your pet out during stop-overs,
it is probably best to keep visits to a minimum. Your pet may
be made more anxious by seeing you, only to watch you leave. You
will be reassured if an airline employee agrees to give you reports
at regular intervals. Air travel always requires animals to travel
in crates or carriers. Airlines may provide a crate suitable for
your pet or may require that you supply your own carrier. The
crate should be spacious to allow your pet to stand and turn around
comfortably. It should not be overly large, however, as this could
lead to injury. Some crates intended for cats or small dogs are
designed to slide under your airplane seat. These crates are somewhat
cramped, but many pets feel more secure in smaller spaces for
short periods. A crate must allow for adequate ventilation. Labels
should clearly indicate that the crate contains "Live Animals."
Provide your cat with a small litter pan filled with enough filler
to absorb any elimination but not so much that the filler will
make a mess. Bedding should be soft and absorbent but not excessive.
A favorite towel or blanket may reassure your pet, particularly
if it holds your body odor. A small quantity of water and a favorite
toy may be left in the crate. Depending on the length of your
trip, you may be better off to leave the crate empty of everything
but the pet. If your pet is tranquilized, do not leave food or
water in the crate. Obtain the crate long before traveling day.
Introduce your pet to the crate by allowing it to investigate.
Play with the animal, tossing toys into or near the crate. Place
its food or water dish in the crate. Try to accustom your pet
to remaining in the crate for longer periods. If you will be using
a hand-held carrier or are concerned that an excitable pet will
disturb other passengers, it may be appropriate to get tranquilizers
from your veterinarian. If the pet is traveling in the passenger
compartment, you will have the advantage of being nearby to reassure
your pet that all is well. Should the tranquilizer's effect begin
to fade on longer trips, you will be nearby to repeat the dose
according to your veterinarian's instructions.