Veterinarian says preparation is key to traveling with pets

Apr. 4—The time for vacation travel is approaching, and there are things people taking along their furry companion should do to prepare, experts say, whether traveling by car or airplane.

“The whole ordeal, the whole trip and everything, is going to be different to them,” said veterinarian Dr. Steve Osborne, owner of Osborne Animal Clinic in Decatur. “The hotel is not going to put any more stress on them than the car ride. So, it all kind of ends together.”

Osborne said preparation is always the key to traveling with a pet. He said anytime people are traveling, they should have all of their pet’s vaccines up to date, and should make sure flea and tick prevention treatments have been administered.

“You never know what you’re going to come in contact with once you leave the house,” Osborne said. “Rabies tag should either be on your pet or with you. Your rabies proof of vaccination should be with you.”

Osborne said some dogs have a history of nervousness.

“You might consider some sort of tranquilization or something to take the edge off,” he said. “There’s an assortment of things that whoever your veterinarian is may have a favorite go-to product, or maybe you’ve used something with your dog before and you know specifically what it is. You need to be sure you have that in enough quantity to make the trip out and make the trip back.”

Osborne said to be sure to take enough of the dog’s food. Take a few of the animal’s favorite toys, he said, because it will keep them calm and give them a sense of home. Osborne said animals that are carrier-trained will do much better in the car while in their carrier.

“A lot of places like truck stops now have off-leash dog parks, but you kind of have to walk across the parking lot to get to them,” he said. “So, you want to make sure you have a good non-slip off leash to get your dog from your car at the truck stop to the dog park. But examine the fence all the way around the perimeter before you let your dog loose in dog park.”

Osborne said people can feed and water their dog at the dog park if there are no other dogs using it, too.

“They probably need to go to the bathroom about as often as you do,” he said.

When dog and owner reach their destination, for example a hotel, Osborne said it also becomes important to have a safe leash that the dog cannot slip out of.

“If something scares them or spooks them as you’re walking through the lobby to go up to your room — another dog, another person, or a plant falls over or something — you don’t want them running crazy through the hotel,” he said.

When traveling by air, Osborne said, most preparations are the same as they are when driving.

“Except you have to have a health certificate,” he said. “That means you have to visit your veterinarian with your dog at least a week before your trip so he can do a physical examination and sign a piece of paper … that the airlines will want for your entrance onto the plane.”

Talyn Walton, Huntsville International Airport public relations assistant, said each airline has different rules when it comes to traveling with dogs and cats.

Inside the airport, “we just ask that owners maintain control of their pets while traveling with them. And pets can only come into the airport if they are traveling with you,” she said. “We have a pet relief area on the concourse. … We also have a pet park outside, right outside of drop-off. A great potty area and leg stretch area for pets before they go inside the terminal, if they want to get that last potty-break in.”

Animals that are crate-trained do better in cargo transportation in an airplane and in the cabin of an airplane, Osborne said. He said they will be required to be in a crate in either situation.

For those boarding a dog or cat, Osborne said, it’s important to update the pet’s vaccines a week or two ahead of time.

“Make sure that’s far enough in advance so you have a peak immunity,” he said. “You can bring food and/or water to the facility. You might want to bring one or two blankets or something like that; something that kind of smells of home.”

—[email protected] or 256-340-2460.