Airport Security and Your Pet

Airport Security and Your Pet

When going through airport security with a pet, you will be required to take your pet out of its carrier and hold it while the carrier is scanned. There appears to be no flexibility on this. So be sure that you have a strong collar, leash, and id tags on your pet. If yours is like ours and will panic in a crowd, you might try taking a pillow case to put it in while you wait for the carrier to come through. It usually only takes a minute for the carrier to be screened, but that is too long for our cat! We haven't tried the pillow case at an airport yet, so the authorities may not permit using it, but it definitely works at the vet for controlling the animal.

By: Kathryn Hunter

Traveling with Cats

Traveling with Cats

Travel with a feline friend requires a bit of common sense:

• When traveling with cats, always make sure that their carrier is clean and fresh. Line the bottom of the carrier with about a centimeter of newspaper. Then put an old blanket or towel on top.
• Remember to pack fresh newspaper and old towels or blankets in a bag, so that every time you stop you can put in fresh newspaper and a blanket if necessary. When the time comes, close all windows and doors, then take your cat out of the carrier and clean it. Wash the bottom, put in new paper and a clean blanket, and then put your cat back in. You must do this all ONLY when the car is parked.
• If you want to take your cat outside to stretch, make sure to have a leash and harness handy. DO NOT let your cat off the leash - he will run away and try to find your house.
• If you are going to be traveling in the car for more than 2 hours, make sure you bring a container of fresh, cool water. Remember to stop a few times during the trip to give him a drink of water.
• If you do this all right your cat should be very calm and relaxed during the trip. If he gets calm enough you may let him sit on your lap, but the windows have to be shut. Just keep the air conditioning on.

Travel with your horse

Do you travel with your horse?

• Make sure when traveling any distance or length of time to give your horse a 30-minute break every 2 or 3 hours. This does not require that the horse be taken out of the horse trailer. Just standing still and not traveling is considered rest.
• One important aspect of traveling with horses is keeping your animals hydrated. Horses can be reluctant to drink when traveling, which can affect how much time to travel each day. Each break, you should offer your horse a drink of water, even if you are repeatedly unsuccessful. Carrots are an example of a good source of liquid on the road.
• It is strongly recommended that horses should not be unloaded from the horse trailer until you are in a safe, enclosed environment, such as your horse hotel for the night. It is generally unsafe to unload horses at strange locations or roadside stops, since horses are easily spooked.
• Do not tie your horse’s head on a short rein that keeps his head high. Allow your horse enough movement so that he can lower his head to clear his airways by coughing and snorting.

Keep Fido Happy When Travelling by Air

Keep Fido Happy When Travelling by Air

If traveling by air take your dog out for a good exercise 30 minutes before you leave for the airport. When you get to the airport take your dog and let it go to the bathroom. If your dog is going in the cabin with you bring a few icecubes in a bag and let the dog eat them every few hours. Bring a blanket of some sort to put over the bag (I think Sherpa is the best kind) when getting on and off the plane so the dog can't see out and get scared. If your dog is going in cargo and the flight is under 3 hours, put a bowl of frozen water in the kennel so the dog can drink it without worrying about it spilling.

By: Paulina T.

Keeping Your Pet Comfortable

Keeping Your Pet Comfortable

My pet has a 'travel pillow'. We got a pillow that fit in his kennel, cut it open, and sewed a zipper on it. When we travel in hot weather, we just put a plastic-covered ice pack inside. My dog looks best groomed, so I always have him trimmed up before we travel. We live in a warm climate, so travelling to a cold one in winter can be quite a shock. To keep my dog from becoming a 'dogcicle', I invaded my nephew's leftover baby clothes. Depending on your dog size, kids' jogging suits (3-6 months works well for dogs under 15 lbs!) are warm, not too bulky, and comfortable. Just remember to cut a tail hole! For his little feet, I cut the fingers off an old pair of my dad's gloves and tucked the tops into the jogging suit cuff. I'm working on sewing them on. It sounds silly, but Drago really appreciates the warmth!

By: Julia

Planning for Emergencies

Planning for Emergencies

Emergencies can happen at any time. While on vacation an emergency can take on greater proportions, especially if you haven't planned ahead! Here are a few tips.

• Before you leave on vacation get your veterinarian's name, address and phone number and an emergency number if they have one.
• Get a copy of your pet's medical records, health and vaccination certificate, and any prescriptions. This is especially important if you plan to travel out of the country.
• Take along Milk of Magnesia or activated charcoal. In an emergency you may want to administer one of these products. Of course, if possible, contact the Poison Center or a veterinarian before administering.
• Prepare a list of emergency contacts, and if possible call ahead to locate veterinarians at your destination.