Your dog’s overall well-being is always important, but when traveling, ensuring all their medical needs are accounted for can help minimize any health issues or expenses that could arise. When planning the perfect dog-friendly trip, following these tips will lead to a stress-free family vacation. Share on X

If your dog has a medical condition or any kind of allergies, a note from your veterinarian or a prescription could save you time and problems. It can be very frustrating to spend precious vacation time trying to get a prescription because your pet’s medicine was located in luggage that went missing, or forgotten in a midway hotel.

Even if the Veterinary Medical Association does not recommend the use of tranquilizers or sedatives due to respiratory problems, your vet could consider it appropriate to prescribe medicines or recommend some natural remedies to keep your dog relaxed during the trip or Diphenhydramine HCl (Dramamine) to prevent motion sickness. If your dog took any medicine before flying, be sure to inform the airline about it at the check in stage.

Paperwork & Vaccinations

Even if your dog visits the veterinarian regularly, a call or a medical consultation prior to your trip can help you avoid future problems. Your vet can help you make sure that their documentation is consistent with all the legal requirements of the destination that you are traveling to.

A health certificate issued by a veterinarian containing information about your pet’s health condition and current vaccines might be required for certain interstate and international travels.

In certain cases, it might be necessary to adjust your dog’s vaccinations to meet the requirements of boarding kennels, border authorities, transportation companies, or travel companies. Make sure to arrange your appointment well in advance in order to monitor the potential side effects or allergic reactions that could result from vaccines.

While specific regulations vary by airline, all of them require a health certificate issued less than 10 days before the flight.

Common Health Problems

Along with food poisoning, allergic reactions, and accidental injuries, which are among the most common health conditions that require urgent care, traveling can increase the risk of:

1. Travel anxiety

Make Travel Anxiety a Thing of The Past

2. Motion sickness

7 Ways To Prevent Motion Sickness in Dogs

3. Respiratory problems

5 Ways of Preventing Respiratory Problems During Travel

4. Temperature Intolerance

Tips for Flying With Your Dogs

5. Contagion, Accidents & Injuries

While pet-friendly hotels and vacation rentals are popular amongst those who love traveling with their pets, RVs are one of the best options for families with big-sized dogs. They are also a great solution for when the number of fur babies exceeds the 2-pet policy of most pet-friendly accommodations. It is also the perfect answer for travelers that seek adventure, visiting multiple destinations and road tripping without having to worry about where to stay at night.

Renting an RV for a pet-friendly vacation offers the advantage of combining an outdoorsy lifestyle with traditional pet-friendly accommodations, thus reducing both accommodation and transportation costs. Share on X Search Motorhome Rentals All Over The World – Drive Your Adventure

When camping with your dog and planing to stay at a campground, inform yourself about their pet policy. Most of them can require complete vaccination records and up-to-date shots, namely rabies.

Resting and Recharging

Additionally, it is important to stop regularly to give your four-legged friend time to exercise, get tired, and go to the bathroom. During trips, dogs have excessive energy from being confined to a small space. So, whatever your mode of transportation may be, they need time to release their stress and boredom.

If you are going on a road trip, plan a stop every two hours during one of the many welcome centers, rest areas and plazas along the main highways. Many of these have bathrooms, stores, restaurants as well as picnic areas, and some of them also have spaces designated for pets.

However, when stopping along the route at resting areas, make sure your pet has a collar and is kept on a leash. An identification tag is essential for non-microchipped pets. Some animals feel stressed when traveling and could, therefore, run away or get lost. It is important to note, that whilst implanted microchips provide permanent ID for pets they cannot be used as a dog tracker. Share on X Thus, a pet tracker can be very helpful during vacations, as they allow you to know where you pet is at all times thanks to GPS tracking.

Many germs, parasites, and diseases may be present in common pet areas.  Therefore, taking the below precautionary health measures can reduce the risk of contagion at parks, beaches and rest areas:

• Ensure your pet is fully vaccinated;
• Protect your dog against fleas and ticks;
• Do not use a communal water dish, bring your own water bowl;
• Ensure your dog is covered with heartworm-preventing medicine;
• Pick up after your dog; and
• Monitor your dog to avoid injuries or problems with other dogs.

Health Insurance & Pet First Aid