Traveling With Your Pets

Be sure your pet has ID on them — have them micro chipped — the best one is “Home Again.” It can be read by most scanners. Tags can get lost. Write in permanent marker — I am Lost — then put your home AND a cell phone #. Put both in case you lose your cell phone. NO one needs to know your pet's name. All they need to know is how to get hold of you. If you have the telephone numbers embroidered into the collar, that’s even better.

On your camper or travel home, in a main window — where it is very visible. Put a piece of brightly colored paper with what animals are inside and how many of each, and then your cell phone # in case the power goes out when you are gone and your pets no longer have the AC, or something else happens.

Now, if something should happen to you or whoever is traveling with you — an accident, heart problems, or other medical problems — you want the rescue workers to know how to get a hold of others in your party, or if you are traveling alone, that you have pets that need to be taken care of. Keep your driver's license, the telephone numbers, whether you have pets, and where you are staying in a clear plastic sleeve. As you travel, be sure to change your place of stay each time. Assign this to someone.

Your pets need a collar or harness they cannot get out of — the best collar for dogs is the Martingale no-slip collar by Premier Pet Products. They have them from very tiny to really large. Don’t forget to put your telephone numbers on the collars or harnesses.

If you are going out and about with your pets, be sure to bring water for them.

Know the area you are going to — in Minnesota, there are mosquitoes and ticks. Out west — cougars, bears, rattlesnakes, eagles, and wolves. In the southwest — Arizona way — fleas (If you are going to use a chemical, only use “Frontline”. Flea collars are worthless and toxic to both dogs and cats), spiders, scorpions, snakes, coyotes. In the southeast — Florida way — watch for snakes, eagles, hawks, and alligators. The smaller the pet, the more you need to be sure they are ALWAYS on a leash, and you have eyes in the back of your head.

ALWAYS “pick-up” (the doo-doo’s) — after your pets of any size. Be prepared, it is YOUR responsibility as a pet owner!

If you are going to be around water, make sure your cat or dog has a good life jacket. The better ones your pet has to step into it and then it zips down their back and has handles in case you have to pull them out of the water. Amazon.com has them in the Twin Cities. They also carry the Martingale collars from Premier Pets.

DO NOT let your pet run into the faces of other dogs — Your dog may be friendly, but the other dog may not be. Always ask the owners first if you can pet them and or if your dog can meet their dog. Let the dogs slowly get to know each other. First, let them be at least 8 ft apart to be able to “size” each other up. After a bit, if they seem ok, let them sniff a bit. Then step away for a while. As they seem better, they can hang out for longer. Just take your time. Some dogs just DO NOT like other dogs. Leave them be! Not all people like each other, either.

Have a First Aid kit with — SEE BELOW — put these things in a kid's nylon lunch box.

Information card — your dog's and cat's normal temperature (between 99 - 102.5 degrees) and weight — write this down. The National Animal Poison Control Center is 1-800-548-2423 (you have to pay for consultation on a major credit card). If you do not have a major credit card, call 1-900-680-0000; the charge will be added to your telephone bill.

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First Aid Kit Supplies

• Liquid Bandage — works well for a ripped ear, toenails cut too short

• Gauze

• Rectal Thermometer or the new digital ones to be used just for your pets — a dog's regular temperature is 101-102 degrees - puppies a bit higher. A cat's regular temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees

• Tweezers

• Needle-nose pliers — to remove foreign objects, like a fish hook

• Benadryl — 1 milligram for each pound of dog or cat — a 50# dog gets 50 milligrams — this helps with insect stings and can be used to calm down an upset dog or cat

• Kaopectate — for diarrhea — ½ - 1 teaspoon per 5 lbs., with a max of 2 tablespoons every 8 hours. For cats only do it one day.

• Pedialyte or Gatorade — for rehydration, mix 50/50 with water. Let them drink as much as they want — for both dogs and cats.

• 3% Hydrogen peroxide — to wash out cuts

• Neosporin — for wounds

• Witch Hazel — it’s an Astringent/topical antiseptic

• Buffered Aspirin — 10-25 mg per 2.2 lbs of dog. NEVER give aspirin to cats — very toxic!

• Scissors

• Sterile Gauze pads — different sizes

• Ace Bandage

• Vet wrap — Sticks to itself – no tape is needed

• Bandage tape

• Syringe — 1 small and 1 med to large, to wash out cuts or flush eyes, to give Kaopectate or anything orally.

• Ready-made hot and cold packs — or you can use a hot water bottle or frozen vegetables if handy

• Clean washcloths

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The Book

The First Aid Companion for Dogs and Cats by Amy Shojai — this has EVERYTHING you need to know when you are on the road, and something happens to your pet.

Happy and safe traveling with your pets! There is so much to know — this should start you thinking, so you can add more to this.