Feature:
Don’t forget about furry family members when
vacationing
“Traveling
with pets, or leaving them behind, can cause anxiety for both the owner &
the pet. Regina
–based veterinarian Dr. Steve Kruzeniski offers the following tips:
- Check
into diseases common in the destination region…If you’re going overseas, you
may need to prepare months in advance for vaccines & diagnostic tests
necessary to enter a foreign country.
- Go to the
vet in advance of your trip. Boarding kennels often want proof of vaccination.
- Leave
emergency contact information & authorization for veterinary care with
specific instructions for various scenarios.
- Leave a
list of instructions for your pet, so caretakers are aware of medications,
dietary indiscretions or special needs.
- Travel
can be stressful for pets. Your vet can prescribe a mild, natural sedative, or
something stronger for severe anxiety…
- Crate
train your pet in advance. A lot of animals that feel nervous in a vehicle do
better in crates…
- Do short
trial runs to see how your pet reacts to travel.
- Never
leave your pets alone in an enclosed vehicle, because they can overheat easily.
- Traveling
with pets is much like traveling with small children. You should have a break
every 4 to 6 hours to allow them to stretch their legs & get a drink of
water & perhaps have a snack.
- If you’re
staying at a hotel, make sure beforehand that it accepts pets…
- Try to
acquaint pets staying behind with their caretaker in advance…
- If you
have someone coming in to check on your pet, gear frequency to individual
needs…
The general
rule of thumb: Cats should be checked on at least once a day, but ideally twice
daily- in the morning & the evening. Dogs need to be taken out 3 to 4 times
a day, depending on size…
- Be aware
of airline restrictions…
- having
proper documentation for your pet is crucial. If going over the border, have
your vaccine certificates or rabies tags with you, & make sure if your pet
requires medication, it’s clearly & properly documented.
- Have
familiar pet food & enough water for your pet. Changing food can be
stressful & may cause gastrointestinal issues.
- If you’re
taking your pet camping with you, take along a pet first aid kit. Flea &
tick medications are also a good idea.
- Always
have good identification for your pet. Microchips can be traced all over North America.”
Irene
Seiberling
POSTMEDIA
NEWS
The Montreal Gazette
August
2/2014
Cute Critter
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Weekly Chuckle
Memorial:
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