Traveling with children is “ruff” enough; what if you also have a pet “wagging along”?
With the fall sports season back in swing, and the traveling it requires, as well as Thanksgiving pilgrimages home, and the December holidays around the corner, the quest for that purrfect trip is getting serious for me and my family! After all, our dog Gordie accompanies my wife and our three children in the car.
I love having Gordie with us and I’m not alone; according to the American Pet Products Association, 45 percent of Americans take their dogs on the road for trips lasting at least two nights.
It’s great to travel without worries about how Gordie is doing nipping at our heels. But as a Medfield parent, I also want to keep every family member happy and healthy on the road--even if the unexpected happens. Traveling with three children with different tolerances for long car travel is an art and a science. Layering on preparations for a furry friend means collaring some extra resources!
Here is what I’ve learned from my own experience, as well as from nearby veterinarians such as Dr. Holly Kelsey:
Make your new environment “like home”: Travel may induce anxiety in your pet, and having his/her favorite foods, toys and blankets can keep that stress in check. Load up on the products your pet loves, especially if you’re adventuring to rural areas where they could be in short supply.
Use restraint: Not only will the right restraint or carrier make traveling safer; depending on the animal, it may also have a calming effect.
Remove the bite with practice: Though many pets are ready to jump into the car for every errand, others feel anxious and/or nauseous once the car leaves the driveway. Short practice trips are a way to unleash a new sense of wanderlust—or to understand the extra measures needed to make your pets’ discomfort “heel”. For example, some pets experience car sickness just like humans and need anti-nausea medications. Others do well with a sedative to calm nerves or antihistamines.
Venturing into Canada? Check out “pet documentation” requirements: Years ago, a family I know made a spontaneous decision to extend their trip to Maine and explore New Brunswick, Canada—only to be detained at the border because they didn’t have the right papers for their dog. The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that pet owners check out what health certificates or other documentation they may need before getting into those long customs lines. Speaking of documentation: If your pet is microchipped, this is a great time to make sure that your contact information is also up-to-date should your pet get lost.
Woods and water? Take extra precautions: Even if your pet routinely walks leash free at the State Hospital, Wheelock, or other nearby local parks, it goes without saying that “free range pet parenting” can be unsafe elsewhere. The recent spate of reports about toxic algae blooms in Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey is just one reason to keep your pet leashed in unfamiliar areas.
“Too Hot for Spot and Tot” still applies: I’m writing this on a beautiful day in late September, when the temperatures are in the eighties. The thermometer is a reminder of the consequences of leaving pets locked in a hot car—as the “Too Hot for Spot and Tot” campaign from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals”) emphasizes so effectively. Indeed, in Massachusetts, confining a pet in an extremely hot or cold car is against the law. Stopping at a rest area for coffee, or a mini-mart for more snacks? Give your pet a needed water break, out of the car, to stay safe.
Carry your vet’s contact information with you, along with information about prescriptions your pets are using (e.g., for cancer, thyroid or other conditions). Should your pet experience illness or injury on the road, you’ll be able to coordinate care, rule out drug interactions, etc. with professionals you trust. If your pet is injured by another animal while away, it is helpful to know what vaccines are already on board.
Bring a special pet first aid kit: Be prepared for all contingencies—carsickness, animal bites, fleas and ticks, indigestion (puppies get into everything!) and more. If getting medicine into your pet is a herculean challenge, experiment with different flavors like tuna and peanut butter, along with different formats for delivering the medication (licking it from a “toy”, ointments from a syringe, etc.).
Make any road trip with your pet something to happily bark about! With the right preparation, the pleasures of a vacation with your entire family—children and pets together—can be yours.
Andrew (Andy) Stein lives in Medfield with his wife and three children (and dog). He is a pharmacist with Bird’s Hill Compounding Pharmacy and currently serves as President with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy. He is also involved with Medfield Youth Hockey and Park and Recreation soccer.
