Having your pets along may add enjoyment to your trip. It is important to keep your pet’s health and safety in mind when traveling, so be sure to check with the airline well in advance of your trip.  This is essential if you hope to prevent last minute problems. Here are some basic tips for airline travel with your pets:

1.) The cage or carrier your pet travels in should be large enough for your pet to stand up and turn around. The carrier should not be so large that your pet will be tossed around inside during turbulence. The walls of the cage should be sturdy and waterproof. The bottom should not allow urine to leak through the bottom. An absorbent pad can be placed in the bottom. The cage should have a water tray which is accessible from the outside to that water can be added if needed. The cage must have sturdy handles for baggage personnel to use. Pet stores sell cages and carriers that meet these requirements. Check with the airlines to see if they have other requirements. Try to familiarize your pet with the travel cage before you leave for your trip. Let your pet play inside with both the door open and closed. This will help eliminate some of your pet’s stress during the trip.

2.) Small dogs and cats are allowed in the cabin. Some airlines will allow one pet in coach and one in first class, with some provisions. To find out whether there are limitations on the number of animals present in the cabin, you should advise the airline if you plan to travel with your pet in the cabin. Check on the cage dimensions and requirements so that there will not be a problem stowing the carrier beneath the seat. Some airlines require that the pet be able to stand in the carrier. A fabric collapsible carrier is suitable for this situation.

3.) For dogs traveling in the cargo area, determine whether the airline has requirements for “acclimation”. In the event that you are  unable to secure a direct flight, the pet carrier  may be left outside the plane for a period of time.

To avoid liability on their part, many airlines require a letter from your veterinarian stating that the pet is acclimated to a minimum or maximum temperature (must be given in precise degrees) for a specified period of time.

4.) Consult with the airline regarding baggage liability. In some cases, this can include your pet. If you are sending an economically valuable pet, you may need to consider additional liability insurance.

5.) Take direct flights and try to avoid connections and layovers. This eliminates missed baggage connections and the chance that your pet will be left in extreme weather. Sometimes it is easier to achieve a direct flight if the trip is planned during the week.

6.) If possible, use airlines that hand carry your dog (inside the cage) to and from the aircraft. Otherwise, the cage could simply be placed on a conveyor belt.

7.) Do not feed your pet for 6 hours before a flight; allow water until flight time. Water should be available in their cage. Give your pet fresh water as soon as it arrives at the destination.

8.) Consider in advance all medications that you might need for your pet. These might include heartworm preventative, flea and tick preventative or other daily medications. Also, give thought to any special diets your pets may need and whether they can be obtained at your destination.

9.) Make sure that the carrier or cage has permanent identification, including your name, phone number, flight schedule, destination, and phone number at the point of destination.

10.) Arrange ahead of time to stay in a hotel that allows pets. Many bookstores carry travel guidebooks with this type of information.

11.) Make sure that your pet has proper identification on at all times. Consider placement of permanent identification in the form of a microchip.

12.) Always travel with a leash and harness for your pet, even your cat. A harness can be more secure than a collar.

13.) If you leave your pet alone in the hotel room, make sure there is no opportunity to escape. Leave your pet in the cage or the bathroom. Give thought to the litter pan provisions and food and water bowls for the hotel room.  Be sure to inform the housekeeping personnel of your pet and ask that they wait until return before entering the room. Use the “Do Not Disturb” sign.

14.) Should your pet get lost, contact the local animal control officer.

15.) Last, but not least, have your pet examined by your veterinarian in advance of the trip. An examination is especially important for geriatric pets. Travel by plane can pose a risk for pets with pre-existing medical conditions, such as heart or kidney disease. Also, some short-faced breeds of cats and dogs (Persians, Exotic shorthairs, Bulldogs, Pekinese) may not travel well in certain situations. Update any vaccinations and take all necessary health papers with you. A health certificate will be required for interstate and some intrastate flights. If you are traveling to a foreign country there may be extensive paperwork that is required for travel. You might also inquire about possible requirements to quarantine your pet should you be traveling to a foreign country or an island.

Remember, advanced planning is vital to making the trip an enjoyable and safe experience for both you and your pet.

As the temperature rises, please follow these simple guidelines to keep your pet safe this summer.

1.) Overheating can be lethal to your pet. Never leave an animal alone in a vehicle, since even with the windows open, a parked car, truck or van can quickly become a furnace. Parking in the shade does not necessarily offer more protection because the sun can shift during the day. When traveling with your pet, always have plenty of fresh, cold water.

2.) Do not force your pet to exercise in hot, humid weather after he/she has eaten a meal. It is best to exercise your pet early in the morning or in the evening.

3.) In extreme temperatures, do not leave your pet standing in the street and keep walks to a minimum. While walking, your pet is much closer to the asphalt and his/her body can heat up very quickly. The pads on the feet can burn and blister easily on hot asphalt.

4.) Never take an animal hiking or boating unless you can provide a shaded spot and plenty of fresh water. Rinse your pet off if they have been swimming in any type of body of water. The longer your pet is out hiking, the longer their feet are in contact with the hot ground.

It is very common for pads to blister after a long day of hiking. This can cause significant pain for your pet and requires veterinary attention.

5.) Always provide plenty of shade for an animal staying outside.  It is best to have a properly constructed dog house or outdoor cat enclosure. Bring your dogs and cats inside during the hot time of the day and let them rest in the cool part of the house. Always provide plenty of cool water. Never tie an animal outside on a correction collar. He/She can choke to death.

6.) Certain breeds of dogs and cats may be more susceptible to overheating. Old, overweight,

brachycephalic (short nosed) dogs and cats, and pets with heart and lung diseases may be especially sensitive to extreme temperatures and should be kept inside.

7.) During the summer months, lawns, gardens and trees are sprayed with chemicals and insecticides. Use caution when walking your pet in areas you suspect may have been recently sprayed.

8.) Make sure that coolant does not leak from your vehicle. Animals, especially cats, are attracted to the sweet taste of coolant. Ingesting a very small amount can be fatal to your pet. Safer alternatives to ethylene glycol, such as propylene glycol, exist to prevent problems for your pet.

9.) Keeping your pet groomed can help prevent summer skin problems. Shaving heavy-coated dog hair to a 1-inch length helps prevent overheating. Do not shave the hair down to the skin; this can lead to sunburns.

10.) Remember to take your pet to your veterinarian for heartworm testing and preventative. Your veterinarian may also recommend a safe and effective flea and tick control program.

Zoonotic disease are illnesses which can be transmitted from pets to people or infect both animals and humans. Zoonotic infections may transfer directly to a human from a pet such as in the case of Rabies virus infection. Other zoonotic infections can cause disease in both pets and humans such as Lyme disease. Although more than 100 zoonotic infections exist, primary care physicians see only a handful with regular frequency, including bite related, gastrointestinal, and skin related diseases. The impact of parasitic zoonoses is significant. Growing urbanization and increased densities of human populations have enhanced peoples exposure to companion animals and their excrement. Contaminated soil has traditionally been the principal source in infection in people. Children are especially at risk, because they often play in soil and put dirt and other contaminated objects in their mouths. Children may also provoke biting or scratching, go barefoot during warm weather, and may not wash their hands after handling household pets. Other high risk individuals include electricians, plumbers and workers who come in to contact with soil in crawl spaces beneath buildings as well as beach goers whose bare skin contacts wet sand. As the number of immunosuppressed individuals in our society increases, more people may face an increased risk for zoonotic parasitic disease. Humans with AIDS, diabetes, chronic liver and kidney disease as well as those humans receiving chemotherapy for cancer, as especially susceptible to infectious parasitic diseases.

The following is an abbreviated list of zoonotic infections. Please remember that some of these diseases are not directly transmitted from companion animals to humans. Some of these diseases are contracted by humans from contaminated soil and water sources. Some of these diseases are transmitted by bites from animals or direct contact with animals, as is the case with some skin diseases.

The “Guilty” Organisms:

• Rabies virus
• Staphylococcus, Pasteurella and Streptococcus infections from bite wounds
• Campylobacter and Salmonella infections from contaminated food, soil and water sources
• Cryptosporidium
• Giardia
• “Ringworm” (Skin fungal infection)
• Sarcoptic mange infections
• Cutaneous larval migrans of the skin from Hookworm infections (Hookworm is an intestinal parasite found in dogs and cats)
• Visceral larval migrans and Ocular larval migrans from Roundworm infections (Roundworm is an intestinal parasite found in dogs and cats)
• Tapeworm infections
• Toxoplasma infections
• Lyme disease

Here are some ways to protect your loved ones from zoonotic diseases:

1.) Wash your hands often when touching, playing or caring for pets.

2.) Never handle the stool (fecal material) of an animal without wearing disposable gloves or using a plastic barrier.

3.) Avoid kissing your pet or letting your pet lick your face.

4.) Do daily “tick checks” on yourself, your kids and your pet. If you find a tick, use tweezers to slowly pull it out. After removing the tick, immerse it in rubbing alcohol. Wash the tick bite wound and your hands with soap and water.

5.) If you are pregnant, ask someone else in the family to clean the cat’s litterbox. If you must do it yourself, wear gloves and immediately wash your hands after changing the litter.

6.) Wash your hands after gardening or working in soil where pets may have defecated. It is best to use gloves when working in the yard.

7.) If you are scratched or bitten, wash the area with soap and water right away and administer first aid. You may need to contact your health care professional.

8.) Make sure your pet is protected against disease threats in your area.

9.) Ensure that sandboxes are completely covered when not in use to prevent contamination with fecal material from domestic and wild animals.

10.) Bring your pet in to the veterinarian immediately if you notice excessive scratching of the skin, lesions of the skin (scaly lesions, dandruff, red areas) or bald areas in the hair coat.

11.) Bring your pet in for regular checkups and fecal examinations. Your veterinarian may administer prophylactic (deworming) medications for parasites.