Car Travel With Your Pet

Keep the family's four-legged best friend healthy on the road and you'll never hear him barking "Are we there yet?" Keep the family's four-legged best friend healthy on the road and you'll never hear him barking "Are we there yet?"

• If your pet has never been in a car, take him on short rides to get him ready for the trip.
• Schedule a check-up with your doctor prior to your departure date, especially for animals with any long-term health concerns.
• Tranquilization is usually not required for car trips, but if you know your pet gets carsick, consult your doctor, and a light sedative may be given.
• Your pet should wear a collar with your name, address, and phone number at all times.
• Your pet should always be safely secured during the trip. Dogs should never be allowed to hang out of windows, even a window opened only slightly. Severe injuries can occur if you have to stop the car suddenly, and there's always the risk of the dog jumping out. A crate is recommended. It should be well ventilated, and be large enough for the pet to stand, turn around, and lie down. Line the bottom with a blanket to absorb urine in case of accident.
• Try not to travel in extreme weather conditions. If you must travel in hot weather, do so in early morning, or early evening.
• NEVER leave your pet alone in a car, even for a few minutes. In hot weather, heat stroke can occur in minutes. Animals can freeze in cold temperatures. Also, it takes practically no time for someone to break into the car and take him. Heat stress is characterized by heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid pulse, a staggering gait, unsteadiness, vomiting or a deep purple tongue.
• If heat stroke occurs, douse your pet with water and apply ice packs to the head and neck. Seek veterinarian attention immediately.
• Stop frequently (at least every hour and a half) to give your pet some food, water and exercise. DO NOT allow your dog to run loose at rest areas. No matter how well trained an animal is, remember you are in a new place, and there are a lot of unusual noises. An accident can occur in seconds.
• Bring along a photo of your pet in case he or she gets lost.
• If you are going to be staying in a hotel, call ahead and make sure your pet is welcome.
• At the hotel, try to reserve a ground floor room whenever possible for easy outdoor access.
• When you arrive at your final stop, keep your pet in a quiet, calm area and give him lots of time to adjust to the new place.