What If Your Pet Gets Sick on Vacation?

Posted on March 29, 2013 by admin

Sick pets? The worse case scenario for travelers is if their pets become sick while they are on vacation. But it can happen more often than you think.

Why Pets Get Sick

Pets are accustomed to routines. When you are traveling, their routine is disrupted, even if you try hard to stop and feed them at their normal time, or find a pet park to exercises them during the time of day you two usually go on walks together. So, they get sick.

Pets can become car sick, just like humans. Their tummies can get queasy and so they are off their feed. Or, the stress of being in a “moving, vibrating world” is enough to make them not want to eat or drink much water. This can lead to mild dehydration.

Pets may also get stung by bees or wasps. They may get sick if they react to plants and grasses and get a rash. Then there are splinters, minor cuts of their pads due to sharp glass or rocks hiding in the grass, and other scrapes and bruises that may occur, especially if their carrier flips when you stomp on the brakes!

In Case Your Pet Gets Sick

Here are some advice and tips that may save you a lot of worry and stress if by some chance your pet becomes sick on vacation.

Always have their vet’s phone and fax number handy.

Make sure they are current on their vaccinations.

Take a simple first aid kit with you. Your vet can give you ideas of what to include in it.

Use your lap top or smart phone to look up videos on how to treat minor cuts and bruises, queasiness and lack of appetite. Many give practical advice for sick animals.

Carry your pet’s medical records with you as well as its vaccination papers and registration slip.

Scared or injured animals may run and hide. Get your pet micro-chipped at least one month before you leave. It is well worth the money. Be sure to carry that certificate with you as well as a picture of your pet.

If you are unsure how well your pet travels, take several “test runs”. If the pet is too boisterous or anxious, talk to your vet about possible medications you can give to help them adjust to the movements and sounds of traffic.

Finally, look up on the internet what vet hospitals are along your route and have their addresses and numbers handy. Pet friendly hotels may also know which animal hospitals and vets are located in the area.

Traveling With Small Pets

Posted on March 15, 2013 by admin

Traveling with small pets? Most travel articles talk about dogs, dog-friendly hotels and dog parks. A few will discuss traveling with your cat. But, what do you do with your small pets, such as hamsters, gerbils, Guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets and mice? (Okay – and yes, tarantulas and reptiles as well.) Yes, you could leave them with a neighbor, or pay the teenager down the street to “babysit them” while you are gone. But there may be another way . . .

Traveling by Car With Small Pets

Since more than likely your small pets are already living in a caged environment, traveling with them can be easier than with a larger animal. But, on the other hand, it is also easy to forget that they can become nervous or frightened when their environment is suddenly moving! Water bottles can slosh and food bowls flip over. If at all possible, secure their cage with a seat-belt. One trick is to buy a dog travel bed and put the cage in it. It will be cozy and cushion the rumble a bit for small pets.

Be sure to have ample food and water for your small pets when you are traveling, but do not be alarmed if they do not eat as they normally would. Rodents ,and even some reptiles, may burrow for protection. You may look and grab your heart momentarily because it appears that they are not in their cage! You have visions of them zipping over your feet or getting up inside the upholstery. Check again – notice the “hump” in the shavings? You can breathe now.

Other Small Pets Travel Tips

If possible, try and put an ID on your small pets, not just on the cage, just in case they do get loose. See if your vet will microchip them. If you travel out of state, especially with more exotic furry friends like ferrets, you may need to get health documentation from your vet.

Always check with your hotel to see if caged small pets require a separate deposit like cats and dogs.

Check with airlines about taking small pets on board with you. If the cage fits under the seat, that may be allowed. Smaller pets will not do well in the cargo section because it is not heated or air conditioned and their cages may not be secured against other luggage jostling in turbulence.

Cruise with Pets

Posted on March 1, 2013 by admin

Can you take your pets on a cruise? Absolutely. More and more vacationers are forgetting about the boarding kennels and taking their pets on vacation with them. A major cruise line knows travelers love their pets. Why not accommodate them? As long as they have the necessary papers for international travel, they are welcome aboard.

The Pet Friendly Cruise

Cunard, the cruise line company out of Great Britain, has a “pets on deck” policy. Your pampered pooch can get freshly baked doggie biscuits, their own cuddly blanket and even, for a price, a Queen Mary II logo coat. Complimentary photo shots of your pets with you as you cruise are also available, as is an exercise area for dogs.

Cats get pampered as well as other small animals. Special carrier kennels are available. Pets, due to health issues, are not allowed on public open decks, in the restaurants or near the cruise pools. Owners may bring comforts of home such as a blanket and favorite toy. There are several visiting hours during the day at the kennels, and there are usually about a dozen in varying sizes available per voyage.

CHARTER PET CRUISE

Not just water spaniels love to feel the water breezes in their ears.You will have better luck traveling on the seas with your pets if you choose a charter or smaller cruise boat. People who rent canoes, kayaks and smaller motorized crafts are often very lax about pets coming aboard,especially in Florida and California but it is wise to ask before you book. Some sight seeing day cruises also allow pets.

However, like people, pets need to get their sea legs. A leading pet website had a few good suggestions for dog owners. First, get them used to the water so they are not afraid of it. Also make sure your pets each have a PFD (personal floating device) often called a K9 Float Coat. Let them wear it several times before the trip so they are used to it. Let them acclimate to loud boat engines before you bring them aboard. Finally, find a stable footing area, preferably dry, for your pets to perch. A fake grass doormat is a good idea and easy to carry on a day cruise.

Travel with Cats

Posted on February 15, 2013 by admin

Travel with cats – it is very different than traveling with dogs. Dogs have off-leash parks. Cats’ travel motto? Have litter box will travel. They’d prefer to curl up amongst the stack of fluffy pillows on the bed of your pet-friendly hotel room, then dash out the door as soon as your arms are full with suitcases. Be sure you microchip your cat before you travel and take its vaccination papers just in case. A collar with its tags and your cell phone number on it is also an absolute must when you travel with cats.

Travel with Cats Tips

Cats should always travel in carriers. This is for their safety as well as yours. Since most cats weigh the same as an infant, their bodies can become flying objects when you have to slam on the brakes. Plus, if you travel with cats on your lap, it is a distraction when you are driving, especially when they decide to hop down and weave between your feet and the acceleration pedal. Ever try to peel a cat out from under the front seat? There’s a chiropractor’s dream.

Many pet stores and supermarkets carry portable, disposable litter boxes. Even though they can be pricey, the convenience makes them the best way to travel with cats. The litter pans fit well into the back floorboard for when you make pit stops on long trips and also work great in hotel rooms. They come sealed, so they are easy to stack in the trunk or the storage wells of an RV. Cats, even if leash trained, would rather use a box than go by the bushes at the rest stops where doggies have been.

Travel with Cats – Keep them Calm

Cats often get motion sickness. It is wise to not feed them during the trip, but be sure to have a water bowl clipped to their carrier cage. Face the cage so they can see you at all times, and if possible, strap the safety seat belt around the carrier.

Some cats will meow incessantly when on the road. The hum of the highway freaks them, and bumps and chug holes jostle their nerves. Others hate it when the engine idles at stop lights and railroad crossings. Some cats travel better if they are mildly sedated. Your vet can provide you with the best dosage for your cat according to its weight.

Your on-the-road travel with cats can be a lot less stressful for both of you if they are kept calm.

Go RV-ing with Your Pet

Posted on February 3, 2013 by admin

RV is the number one way to travel for more and more people, not just retirees. Modern RVs have all the luxury of home, including flat screen TVs and granite countertops. With the push-out sides, the floor space becomes almost cavernous compared to the one your parents or grandparents used. So it stands to reason that people would want to bring the family pets along for the ride.

RV Pet Safety

There are some things you should consider when preparing to travel with your pet especially in the RV. Of course your pet should be up to date on its shots and you should plot the local animal hospitals along your route, just in case. It is wise to have the animal micro-chipped just in case the unthinkable happens, such as the pet dashes out the door of the RV and gets lost trying to find it’s own back yard surroundings back home. Animal Hospitals, rescuers and pounds are all trained to scan for microchips when they find a lost animal. Collars are a must as well.

Just as people should be strapped in when the RV is moving, the same should be true for the pet. It is not enough to have them snoozing in their pet bed or on the floor of the RV. Some pets will try to find a cranny to snuggle into, or worse stretch out upon the dashboard.

You secure everything else, so be sure to secure your pet in a carrier or with a harness. Beside, you don’t want them lounging under your feet when you are trying to drive. Pets dozing in laps can become flying objects if you have to brake in an emergency. So please, don’t let them roam around inside like this picture suggests when the RV is moving.

RV as a place for the pet to stay

You know not to leave your pet in a parked car, especially in the summer or winter. Temperatures inside an unattended vehicle can be brutal. But many people think leaving a bowl of water and some food is perfectly fine in the RV. You have to keep the fans and/or AC on if you leave to spend the day touring in the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone.

It is also wise to take your pet out on some trial runs in the RV so it can get used to its surroundings before you hit the road for a long trip. Otherwise the frantic howling or meowing might ruin your vacation.

Ski with Pets

Posted on January 23, 2013 by admin

You can ski with your pets, well that is to say, take them with you when you go skiing. More and more ski resorts are excepting pets. Pet-friendly lodgings are available at most of the popular year-round resorts, especially in Colorado, Mount Charleston outside of Las Vegas and near Lake Tahoe.

Ski With Pets in Nevada

Mount Charleston is a very pet friendly resort. You can get back to nature and rent rustic cabins as well. Open throughout the year, it is located only twenty minutes west of the famous Las Vegas Strip and pet-friendly Las Vegas hotels.

Diamond Peak, near Reno, is also known to be very pet-friendly. Peeking above the shores of Lake Tahoe, your pet can hike and romp in the snow along with you. Doggie booties might be in order to keep their pads from getting frost bite. Incline Village is one of the main pooch loving places in the area.

Ski with Pets in Colorado

Aspen and Vail are both known to be very pet friendly cities. Snowmass offers year round activities, but of course it is when the snow blankets the Rockies that people and their pets pour in. These resorts understand how wise it is to cater to pets and their owners. At Hotel Jerome, dogs are treated with their own warm and cozy beds, water bowls and canine delicacies to whet their appetite. Winter Park allows pets to be on leashes with their owners as they walk or snowshoe the trails. Copper Mountain also has pet-friendly hotels near the lifts.

Ski WIth Pets in Vermont

One of the top rated ski resorts who accept pets is Mountain Top Inn in Chittenden, Vermont. Dogs that check into the rustic cabins with their owners are treated to, well treats, as well as their own bowls and bed. Leashed pets are allowed on the ski trails and hiking paths.http://vegas-hoteldeals.com/wintertime-rocks-in-vegas/

Rumor has it that the general manager’s Golden Retriever named Maggie is always on duty to welcome pets and their owners to the Lake Placid Lodge in New York. With over 2,000 miles of inter-winding hike and ski trails, you and your furry friend better book another night!

Winter Travel with Pets

Posted on December 30, 2012 by admin

Winter travel with your pets can be just as uncomfortable and dangerous as it is in the summer months. If you want your pet to have a safe and enjoyable vacation, here are some winter travel tips for you and your pets.

Winter Travel Tips

If you are going by air for your winter travel, remember that the storage area of the plane is not heated. Line the carrier with blankets so the pet can stay warm and burrow into them if needed. If you are sedating your pet, which many veterinarians recommend for their safety and security, then wrap them in the blanket before the carrier is put on the conveyor belt at the check in point. Make sure they have been trained to drink from a hanging water bottle so they do not get dehydrated on long flights.

If you are going by car, winter travel can be just as hazardous for your pet than a hot car in summer. Again, make sure your pet is toasty warm with its favorite blanket. Then when you stop to eat, Fido will not freeze in the car waiting for you. Also vets say to maintain as normal an eating and watering schedule as possible. If you are staying in a hotel, or even with relatives, bring in their bed or favorite blanket so they feel more at home.

Winter Travel Comforts

Sweaters are not just cute accessories. During winter travel, especially short haired dogs can shiver with cold. A sweater will help keep them comfortable and help eliminate the chills.

As you venture outdoors during your winter travels be concious of your pet’s paws. Ask your vet about doggie booties to protect their sensitve pads from ice and snow. Pets can get frostbite as well as humans. Be sure you try them often so your pet is used to them before the snow and freezing temps hit.

Another caution is the rock salt that is laid on sidewalks and pathways to melt the snow and ice. That salt can get into the crevices of your pet’s paws and irritate them. Be sure to have warm wash cloths or mild baby wipes handy to sponge their feet often during their winter travel.

With these few tips, you and your pet can have a wonderful, safe and enjoyable winter travel time.

Dress Pets for Holidays

Posted on December 16, 2012 by admin

Dress pets for holidays – yes or no? Many people do dress their pets for Halloween and for Christmas. You see the outfits displayed online and in pet stores, so they must be alright, right? It depends on the pet.

Some pets don’t mind donning clothes, and in colder weather, a holiday sweater may be a good thing. Dogs, even cats and hamsters have been seen decked out in red and green for the winter holidays or in orange and black for the end of October hauntings. Still, we all have memories of our mom dressing us up in comfortable, stiff wear we’d rather wiggle out of. Our pets are no different. Dress pets for holidays may to be a tradition you want to begin.

Dress Pets for Holidays Do’s and Dont’s

If you are intent on the idea to dress pets for holidays, keep in mind the pet’s comfort. Have they worn clothes before? Do they fight you to put them on? If you pet bites at the clothes and tries to pull them off, then they may be telling you “no” in the only way they can.

Make sure you try before you buy. A cozy sweater is one thing, but antlers that jingle are something else entirely. Most animals will not take kindly to anything over their faces, So be wary of that fact if you plan to dress pets for holidays.

Judge the temperament of your pet and its age. Some animals, especially dogs of young children are tolerant of many things. They are more laid back and may not mind being suited up in a, well Santa suit, or to be made to look like an elf, a monster or a werewolf. Younger pets may become confused and frustrated with their costumes and growl or snap. If so, remove the outfits immediately.

You may want to try it out for a few minutes each day until the pet becomes used to being wiggled into an outfit and wearing it. Clothes are, after all, not natural for furry creatures.

Dress Pets for Holidays Travel

The thought to dress pets for holidays travel is rarely a great idea. First of all, you want your pet to be as comfortable as possible in a moving vehicle or airline carrier or at a pet friendly hotel. The added stress of having to be costumed may be cruel. Wait until you have reached your destination.

Also, if you dress pets for holidays, it may cause too much attention from strangers, especially children in airports or depots. The oohs and aahs may stress out your pet. So think it through before you decide to dress pets for holidays.

Pet Safety when Traveling

Posted on December 3, 2012 by admin

Pet safety is a major concern when you are traveling, especially if you are traveling in the car or hauling an RV. Pets are suddenly removed from familiar environments and may be confused by the new smells and furnishings of pet friendly hotels, much less the cramped quarters in comparison to their home. You can make your vacation with your pet more relaxed and enjoyable by putting yourself in your pet’s paws.

Pet Safety Tips

Pet safety means thinking about their well being. Always pack their favorite blanket or pet bed to take with you. This will give them something familiar and homey to smell. Smell is very important to both cats and dogs. It is also a good idea to bring along their favorite bowls for food and water, and maybe that ratty old toy they love so much. Resist getting new things.

Pet safety means routine. Keep to a schedule if at all possible. Pets thrive on routine more than humans do. Feed them when you normally would, for instance. Yes, you are on vacation. But if you are traveling many days, be sure to wake up and get going the same time, and if possible go to bed or at least be back at the hotel or RV at the same time each night,

Pet Safety means being considerate. Think of their needs on long road trips. Dogs should be allowed to get out and stretch every few hours, just like their owners should. It will calm them down to be leash walked at rest stops, especially if they see other dogs around. Make sure you find a few good dog parks along the way where they can romp off leash. Cats should have access to their cat boxes in the car or RV.

Never feed a pet while the vehicle is moving. Animals get car sick as well as humans. Besides, they will probably not want to eat because they are too busy watching the world go by. Do have water handy and stop the vehicle to hydrate them every three hours or so.

CAR PEt sAFETY

One of the top pet safety rules is that smaller pets should be in carriers or special beds for their safety sake. Never let larger dogs ride in the open air bed of a truck. Too many have jumped out or fallen out only to be run over. Talk with your vet about how to travel with pets in RVs. It is very easy for a pet to get wobbly and fall when RV’s make sharp turns or stop.

Air Travel with Pets

Posted on November 16, 2012 by admin

Air travel with your pets is feasible, but there are some things you should understand first. Just like hotels, airlines will allow pets, but fees and rules apply. In fact, airlines will often have different rules about pet air travel. It is a good idea to ask your travel booking agent, or to go online to the airline site and read about their rules and regulations. Some might allow small pets to travel as carry on luggage providing that they do not whine, bark or meow the whole time. Others charge an extra baggage handling fee for pet air travel and will only permit pets in the cargo section. Plus, the airline may have a restriction on the number of animals allowed on each flight, so make sure you let them know and “reserve” a place for yours.

Air Travel with Pets Advice

First and foremost, talk over your travel plans with your veterinarian. This doctor may suggest a mild sedative for your pet so they can sleep through the flight. Before you take your pet on any air travel it must have its vaccination records up to date and documented no earlier than 10 days prior to your flight. If traveling outside the U.S, documentations needed vary from country to country. Your vet can look these up online.

Secondly, air travel with pets is a lot easier if you pay extra to book a direct, non-stop flight. You will save you and your pet a lot of hassle as well as possible handling fees from one plane’s cargo hold to the next. Remember that cargo sections are not heated or cooled, so in summer fly in the early morning or at night, but in winter, air travel should happen midday when the sun is hitting the plane. Be sure to cover your pet with a warm blanket inside it’s carrier once it is sedated in extreme winter conditions.

Air Travel Carriers

It is wise to invest in a sturdy one, not a cardboard or flimsy sided one. Write your pet’s name as well as your contact info clearly on the luggage tag, and write your dog’s name and your last name and flight number on masking tape to secure over the carrier door. Staple a photo of your pet to it’s papers and carry them on you, not tucked into checked in luggage. If you pet has never been in a carrier, leave it open in your home and put their favorite toys or blanket in it. Let them get their “smell” in it for several days before you take them on their first air travel.

 photo Alexander Briel Perez permission dreamstime.com

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