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People find that many dogs can be excellent traveling companions if they are basically well-behaved and psychologically and physically healthy. However, certain precautions and considerations are basic. Make sure your pet is wearing a current I.D. Should you get parted, you need some way for the finder to reach you. Many pet shops sell waterproof identification "barrel" tags in which you can enclose a small piece of paper that says "If lost, please call -- collect." Give the phone number of a friend or relative who is willing to take messages, or else provide the number of the place where you are staying. On long road trips, give your pet daily exercise. For traveling dogs, at least half an hour of a vigorous game of fetch or a jog with you is important. If you like to let your dog run loose, do so only in a safe and appropriate area and, even then, only if the dog is well-trained to return on command. Car rides and strange places are more upsetting to a dog. Never leave a pet in a sealed car on a hot day.Heat can build up very fast in a closed car, which acts like a solar oven, causing an animal to go into heat prostration. This may lead to serious brain injury and even death. Take familiar items with you. A basket or piece of bedding from home can make any animal feel safer and more at ease. You could also take favorite toys to give your pet something to do. Use commercial pet health foods for convenience, if necessary. But add vitamin C and vitamin B complex to help traveling animals deal with stress.Anticipate nature's calls. Take a dog on a short stroll on a leash at least twice a day. Carry disposable bags and a scooper to use in public parks, cities, motel properties and beaches.Prepare for health problems that are common to most travelers. Constipation can plague traveling pets. It can be caused by lack of exercise or water, infrequent stops, or anxiety about strange new territories. Temporary constipation is not a serious problem and will usually clear up before long. Check with your pet's doctor prior to the trip for some helpful remedies for constipation. Nausea grips some animals when they ride in a car or plane, and they will either vomit or salivate excessively. The B-complex supplementation mentioned above will help prevent nausea. Also, encourage your pet to lie down on the floor of the car as a preventive. If motion sickness does occur, give your dog some peppermint tea or peppermint capsules to help settle her stomach. An alternative to using peppermint tea is a formula made from the 38 flower preparations discovered by Dr. Edward Bach. Mix together Aspen, Elm, Scleranthus and Vervain and give two drops of this formula every two hours to relieve the emotional upset and subsequent nausea. Occasionally, it is wise to fast a susceptible pet the day before departure or on the first day of the trip. For an animal going by public transit in a carrier, a 24-hour fast before the trip will generally prevent it from eliminating during the journey. Aconitum napellus 30C is very useful for minimizing fear and upset before traveling. Give one pellet of this homeopathic remedy an hour before leaving home; give another pellet just a few minutes before actually leaving the house. This usually is enough for most animals and most trips. If nervousness returns, give your pet another dose (one pellet) during the trip itself. Rarely will this remedy be needed more than three or four times; in fact, most animals travel well with just the two doses given before leaving home. This medicine is very safe to use and often functions better than a tranquilizer. Eye irritation may occur in a dog that likes to ride with its head out the window, testing all the interesting scents it passes. Sometimes dust and debris enter the dog's eyes at high speeds, scratching the cornea and irritating sensitive membranes. For a minor irritation, I suggest washing the eyes out with this mild salt (saline) solution quite similar to tears: Add a level 1U4 teaspoon of sea salt to one cup of pure water and stir. Keep the solution at room temperature; pour a small amount into a cup or dish and apply it by dripping it from a saturated cotton ball into the eye or by using a glass or plastic dropper. Administer the liquid until it runs out of the eye to flush out irritating substances. For more serious irritations, use a cup of the same saline solution to which you add only five drops of tincture (or alcoholic extract) of the herb Euphrasia officinalis or eyebright. Use this solution in the eye four times a day.If your pet has a serious corneal injury, the animal will keep its eye shut most of the time. In such a case seek veterinary help. Do not take an unhealthy pet on an airline. If you do take a pet on a flight, make sure that the animal won't be exposed to extreme temperatures or possible suffocation. If your pet is small enough to stand up and turn around in a container that fits within their carry-on size restrictions, most of the major airlines will allow you to carry it on. Otherwise, it will have to be shipped in the cargo compartment, in a sturdy plastic kennel with metal doors. Try to determine if the cargo compartment is temperature controlled. If not, avoid layovers exceeding one hour and avoid flights in or out of any city with expected temperatures outside the range of 45° to 80°F. Reservations for cargo space are usually required. Animals may also be shipped, unaccompanied, by air freight. This service costs extra. You will also need to get certification of your pet's health from a veterinarian. This is required for public transportation, interstate shipment and foreign travel. I do not advise taking your pet if your destination is a country that has a lengthy required quarantine time or any special health hazards. Check on the destination country's requirements before making your plans. Respect motel and campground properties. You and your pet are much more apt to be welcome if you assure the owners that you will: Never leave a dog alone in a motel room while you go out for an extended period (which may lead to barking and chewing). Have a bag and scooper with you and clean up any messes, inside or out. Only bring a neutered or spayed pet. This discourages wandering and territory-marking. Keep the pet on a leash at all times, so it doesn't charge through tender flower beds or bother other guests. These guidelines help make you welcome with your pet when visiting at people's homes, too. |
Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, PhD is a licensed veterinarian who co-wrote Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats with Susan Hubble Pitcairn. Dr. Pitcairn's introduction to holistic medicine over 20 years ago began with experiencing the effect of changing his dietary habits. After obtaining his PhD in advanced studies in immunology, he converted his practice to the use of homeopathy and nutrition. Recently, Dr. Pitcairn has turned his attention to training other veterinarians in this system of healing. |
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