Travel tips for pets.
Taking your pet to the vet can be stressful! Many pets dislike car rides or find themselves nauseated as they are not used to the motion. Then when they arrive, instead of hiking a beautiful trail or grabbing a fun treat from Rural King,  they get poked and prodded, albeit lovingly, by our sweet medical team. It's not always a good day. However, you can make it better with a few tips from Dr. Bruening, who has years of training and experience in fear free certified techniques.
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​The Drive: It all starts here. If you pet is miserable in the car, they will arrive at the vet unhappy. So if they vomit, drool or howl, those are signs of nausea. Talk to your vet about an anti-nausea or motion-sickness treatment that is safe for your pet, that can help the trip be more comfortable for them. Also, don't feed your pet shortly before your appointment. Driving on an empty stomach is going to help prevent vomiting. Try no to feed your pet 3-4 hours before your appointment. Please also tell your veterinarian your pet has a tendency to get car-sick.
  
​​The Road: Dive slow, take your time. The twists and turns can make car-sickness worse, especially at higher speeds. Open up 2 windows, a few inches, to let in fresh air....but only open it a tiny bit so your pet can't jump out. (Sometimes they will!!!)
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The Sounds: Play soft music....your fav....and sing along. Whether you love Bach or Beatles, Taylor Swift or George Straight or sing Toby Mac at the top of your lungs, your pet is used to listening to you rock-out at home. So listening to you sing in the car, will sound familiar and make them more comfortable. The soft sound of music, and your voice, will also drown out other road noises that can be scary to dogs and cats.
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​The Sights: Cats need to have a reduction in stimuli to feel safe. They see EVERYTHING. Place a thin towel or blanket over your cat's crate blocking out the world speeding by. This can also help dogs in crates too. Just make sure they can still get lots of fresh air.
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​The Smells: bring a blanket from home, or your old t-shirt for your pet to lay on. Place it in the crate with them, or tuck it under their seat. Purchase Feliway for your cat, or Adiptal for your dog which emulate natural pheromones to calm your pet.  They are available at major retailers like Amazon.  You should give a few sprays on that blanket or t-shirt 2 days before the vet visit. Arrive a few minutes early and give your pet time to adjust to their new environment.
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​The Owner: Be happy. Your pet can sense if you are nervous, scared or anxious. Don't let them become more fearful because they sense your worry. Change your mindset. Treat a day at the vet like any other. If you are calm, your pet will most likely be more calm too. Oh, and bring your pet's favorite treats...food bribes are always a good idea!
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​Play it safe: Make sure you have your dog's leash and/or your cat or small-pup in a crate while traveling. Keep pets in the back seat of the car. Air bags, if deployed, even in a minor accident can be fatal when pets ride in the front seat. Use safe restraint to keep pets from climbing on the driver. Again, crates work well here, or a seat-belted harness or bring a helper to ride in the back with your pet.
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​These minor modifications to your vet travel routine can turn a challenging experience into a more relaxed, positive experience.  Please reach out to let us know which of these tips and tricks helped you and your furry friend and let us know how we can further support your pet's health.