What To Do If Your Pet Gets Sick Or Injured While Travelling

Travelling with a pet has become the new norm now for solo travellers and even family/group travellers. There’s no fun in travelling and leaving your furry friend home alone or at someone’s place when your faithful companion could be enjoying a well-needed time together with you or with your family.

With a variety of recommended pet-friendly accommodation sprouting all over, travelling with a pet has become much more convenient. Nonetheless, going on a long or short trip with your pet still requires a certain level of care and attention, most especially if you’re somewhere new and completely different.

For the pet parents out there planning an awesome escape time with their beloved furry ones but are concerned about what to do when their pet gets sick or injured on the trip, here are some vital things to put in place and do.

1. Plan Ahead

The success of any trip begins with planning and when you include your pet in that trip, the planning needs to be doubled. To make caring for your pet in case of any medical emergency easier and less stressful, a good tip is to prepare in advance for all kinds of scenarios, and more specifically consider the things you’ll need in such cases. Some of these include:

• Get to Know the Area You’ll Be Visiting. Find out the kind of terrain, weather conditions, popular diseases, dangerous creatures predominant in the area, or anything toxic that your furry friend could contact or encounter that could lead to sickness or injuries. This way you’ll know where to go, where and what to avoid or look out for, and much more.
• Research and Get Recommendations. You can check websites like Sydney vets to see a list of recommended top vet hospitals and clinics, their locations, and other details you might need. You can also look for local vets in the area you’ll be visiting so that in case of an emergency you’ll know where to go.
• Have Your Pet’s Medical Record Handy. The record should include everything from vaccinations to all kinds of treatments your pet friend has been treated for. Don’t forget to add the list of medications your pet has ever taken, allergies, etc. A well-detailed medical record will make administering any treatment well-informed and safe.
• Take a Pet Safety Training Course. Just as we have first-aid safety training for humans, there’s also a pet safety training course for pets. With the rise in pet travel, the courses are becoming even more common with options for in-person or online training. There you’ll learn everything from how to read the vital signs of your pet, how to handle your pet in different scenarios and situations, and how to perform CPR and give first aid treatment to your furry friend.
• First-aid Kit. Be sure to prepare a first aid kit for your pet’s needs, size, and shape. The kit should include everything from ointments for bruises and cuts to medications for upset stomach, pains, and so on. Don’t forget the extra leash and muzzle.
• Get Your Pet Checked-up and Vaccinated. Just as we often take some precautionary shots and have a check-up before travelling to certain places, you should look into getting your pet checked and vaccinated too if there are any available. This way, your pet can enjoy the holiday wherever you may be with little risk of contracting any life-threatening diseases.

2. Immediate Care

While on the trip and enjoying yourselves on hikes or beach outings, you should have a few items you have prepared with you to keep your pet safe and reduce the risk of exposure to danger. Some of the essential items to pack when travelling with your pet to provide immediate care include:

• Water
• Bandages to treat cuts and scrapes
• Cold pack to reduce swelling or even to cool off
• Snacks and treats
• A tarp, blanket, or carrier for protection and transportation

3. Emergency Situations

Although there’s the hope that your pet won’t fall sick or require any form of emergency care while on your trip, it’s always good to be prepared. In the case of an eventual emergency, don’t panic, simply go through what you’ve planned out and care for your pet appropriately. Some of the things to do include:

• Taking a quick assessment of the situation to know if it’s something that first aid can handle or if it would require expert treatment and care. You can call your vet for advice on this for rational action and response.
• If there’s an expert need, you can contact the local vet in the area that you have chosen before your trip for immediate care and take your pet there immediately.
• If necessary, provide first aid treatment to your pet before reaching the vet to prevent the situation from worsening.
• Be sure to provide detailed information to the expert or local vet that will handle the care for complete diagnosis and treatment recommendation.
• Follow all the instructions given by the vet to ensure a quick recovery.

Conclusion

Keeping in mind that your pet is dependent on you, you must be able to provide the utmost care and attention even when on a relaxing trip. By preparing ahead and being vigilant all through the trip, you can prevent any instance of emergencies that can happen; and if any such emergency should occur, your preparations would make a lot of difference in ensuring that your pet is put in good shape in no time. Beyond anything else, be sure to enjoy the trip with your pet.

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