05/26/2026
๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ
Here are safety tips from Dr. Amy.
Summer will be here soon and there's a little bit of homework that needs to be done if you decide to travel with your pets.
1. ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ (๐ฌ) ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ(๐ฌ) ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ซ. Just letting them run around in the back seat while you're driving is not a safe thing to do in the event of a sudden stop or an auto accident. Dogs and cats who are loose in the car can become flying projectiles. Also, when pets are left free, there is always a risk they could get out of the car, which can have catastrophic consequences.
2. ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐, and make sure that your pet is comfortable.
So, if you are planning to travel by car with your pets, short test runs are a great way to make sure they are all good.
3. ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ. We like our patients to be traveling in car seatbelts. Small dogs and cats can travel in carriers, but those carriers should be appropriately attached in the car. So that again, in the event of a short stop, your pet doesn't go flying.
๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ...to the carrier/crate early: Set up the carrier or crate days, or even weeks, in advance and leave it open so your pet can get used to it.
๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
Put a super high-value treat inside the carrier (like a churro for cats) and make that the only time they ever receive that treat. This helps them look forward to going inside.
๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ
Once your pet is comfortable going in, start closing the crate/carrier while they are inside. Then, gradually work up to walking around with the carrier or pack so your pet can get used to the movement, bumping, and being carried before the actual travel day.
๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฉ
๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ:
Their favorite bed or blanket from home.
One or two favorite toys.
Familiar items help make the new destination feel as much like home as possible, helping them "declare" the new space as theirs.
๐
๐จ๐จ๐, ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฌ:
Their regular food and water bowls from home.
Extra water and collapsible bowls for use during the trip and stops.
๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ :
Grooming supplies, especially a brush.
If going to the country or to a place where your pet will be outdoors, be prepared for rigorous daily brushing to check for and remove ectoparasites such as fleas and ticks.
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ensure your pet is on prevention for fleas and ticks, especially if they normally live indoors or in a major city and are now going on an outdoor trip.
