Ed. Note: The following content was provided by Cinema Veterinary Centre, who is a client of KHTS AM-1220.
Traveling with pets can be stressful for both the animals and their owners, so a Santa Clarita veterinarian is offering several useful tips to help make the journey a little easier.
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Whether travelling by car or airplane, being prepared for the trip is the most important thing a pet owner can do, according to Dr. Jaimie Ronchetto of Cinema Veterinary Centre.
“You definitely need to think ahead and plan,” Ronchetto said. “Most flights are going to require some sort of paperwork. A lot of times they would require health certificates, and the health certificates need to be within a certain amount of days of your flight time.”
Typically issued within 10 days of a flight by a licensed veterinarian, health certificates require a general exam and records check to ensure the pet is healthy enough to travel and is up to date on all vaccines.
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Ronchetto recommends Santa Clarita pet owners also bring a copy of their pet’s rabies certificate and a full medical history as a precaution.
“It’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared, because you’re never quite sure which airlines are going to require what,” she said. “Depending on where you’re going, if you’re going out of the country different countries are going to require different documentation and different testing.”
For those travelling by car, pet owners can prevent their pet from getting car sick by being prepared with medications designed to help with motion sickness and anxiety.
“Dogs definitely can get car sick. Some of it can just be the excitement and anxiety of the car ride itself, and other times it truly is motion sickness,” Ronchetto said. “It is safe to give them Dramamine. You would want to contact your veterinarian to get the proper dosing.”
For pets affected by severe anxiety, an anti-anxiety medication can be prescribed by a veterinarian prior to the trip, and more natural alternatives to sedation are also available.
In addition, cats should always be kept in a carrier during a car ride to help ensure everyone’s safety, Ronchetto advised.
“I have had some instances where I hear of kitties, ‘Oh they’re good car riders and they just sit on my lap or sit on the chair next to me,’ but it’s really not safe,” Ronchetto said. “They’re so easy to get underfoot. You would hate to have them get in the way of what you’re doing and potentially get in a car wreck.”
To help reduce their pet’s stress during a long trip, Ronchetto recommends spending a little extra time preparing them beforehand.
Cat owners can help their cat get used to being in a carrier by leaving it around the house with the door open so the cat can go in and out freely.
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.For dogs who typically never go on car rides, owners can slowly introduce them by taking them for short drives around the block or bringing them places dogs are allowed, like the pet store.
“If they’re used to riding in a car and used to going places with you, obviously it’s a lot easier,” Ronchetto said. “If they never go anywhere then you might want to try to introduce them to that a few times before you take off on a big road trip.”
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