By Katy Cable-TWR a 3 min read While there’s no place like home for the holidays, after last year’s quarantine many are excited to travel over the river and through the woods to get to grandmother's house. And many wouldn’t think of not including their pets in the season's celebrations. By following a few of these easy tips, I hope your holiday travels will be wonderful and hassle-free. 1. GET THE "OK" FOR TRAVEL FROM YOUR VET: Nothing sours holiday fun like a sick or out of control dog. Especially when you’re away from home. Prior to making any travel plans, confirm your pet is healthy and in good enough shape to make the journey by having them examined by your vet. A quick check-up can save you a lot of headaches. Let your vet know how you will be traveling, and where your destination is. This is also an excellent time to have the vet check your pet's microchip info. In addition to making sure your pet has all the necessary vaccinations and is cleared for travel, they may also have some excellent suggestions and remedies should your pet wind up with a parasite, carsickness, or minor medical issue. 2. KEEP THINGS CONSISTENT AND PACK ESSENTIALS: This is NOT the time to change your dog's food or a cat's litter. Familiar food, water, bedding and toys will help make your pet feel less anxious. Being in a new unfamiliar surrounding and giving your dog new food and treats can bring on major GI problems which is the last thing you need. Pack extra food/treats/medications so you’re covered should you run into a problem. It's also a great idea to pack your pet's favorite bed, toys and comforts. 3. BEFORE YOU LEAVE: Check that your pet's tag and microchip information are up-to-date with your CURRENT number. Should your pet go missing, you don't want someone calling an old number. Many pet stores have a machine that allows you to make an inexpensive tag if you need to update one in a hurry. Take a few minutes to research local emergency veterinary hospitals, or, at the very least, make sure your phone is loaded with an app that will find one for you. We all hope not to need that information, but the time to make sure it's handy is before a problem occurs, not after. TRAVELING BY CAR: Whether your holiday destination is only a short drive away, or involves a major road trip, these tips will come in handy:
With some simple preparation and these easy tips, you will hopefully enjoy a stress-free, SAFE and MERRY adventure! Happy Holidays! 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.🐾 |