Holiday Road Trips with Your Pet

Hitting the road the right way for the holidays.

With the holidays upon us many people are traveling to visit friends and family and want to bring their dog or cat with them.   There are many things you can do to make travel easier and less stressful for your pet.

If your dog becomes anxious during car travel make sure to give him lots of exercise and play before the car ride.  Let him burn off some of his anxious energy before he is in the car for hours. Take frequent rest stops to let him stretch his legs and go to the bathroom.

Some dogs get car sick, especially after long car rides.  Don’t feed your dog a big meal right before car travel if he does get car sick. This will help keep his stomach calm during the car ride.  If he still vomits, then talk to your veterinarian about using an anti-nausea medication for car rides. There are multiple very effective products for nausea in dogs.

Many cats rarely ever leave the house so traveling can be quite stressful for them.  Just bringing out the cat carrier will cause those stress levels to spike.  To reduce this stress level, leave the cat carrier out for weeks before you travel. Put a nice cozy blanket in the carrier so your cat can slowly get used to the carrier. Feeding your cat meals and treats in the carrier will give your cat a positive association with the carrier. Then when it is time to travel, your cat will more willingly go inside the carrier and have a good experience in it.

If behavioral modifications are not effective, some dogs and cats do well with anxiety medication.  These medications can be given 1-2 hours before car travel.  Talk to your veterinarian about the right one for your dog or cat.  When trying a new medication for travel, its best to give the medication a “test run” at home a few days before you travel. That way you can see how your pet reacts to the new medication and how he will do when traveling.

Senior Pet Special in December

Do you have a dog or cat that is 7 years or older? Schedule an exam and senior blood panel in December and receive 15% off the senior blood panel.

A senior blood panel gives an overview of your pet’s health, is a great way to catch any health issues before they come serious, and provides a baseline to refer to if your pet gets sick in the future.

Seniors pets also have special needs as they age.  An exam with our veterinarian can determine if your pet has changing nutritional needs, could benefit from nutritional supplements, or may be experiencing pain from arthritis.

About Dr. Patten

Dr. Patten, owner of Liberty Vet Clinic in Roxborough, has extensive experience in preventative care, dental procedures, emergency medicine, and soft tissue surgery. She lives on Fox Street in East Falls with her two sons.

Liberty Vet Clinic
8919 Ridge Ave
(215) 483-1066

 

 

About Dr. Caroline Patten 25 Articles
Dr. Patten, owner of Liberty Vet Clinic in Roxborough, has extensive experience in preventative care, dental procedures, emergency medicine, and soft tissue surgery. She lives on Fox Street in East Falls with her two sons.

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