Senior dogs have a very strong bond with their owners because they have spent several years together and done a lot of things with each other. It, therefore, gets a little bit difficult to travel to new places for the dog owners without their dogs.
However, at an old age, dogs might find it difficult to travel with their owners. This does not mean that you cannot travel with your dog since, with the right preparation and planning, your senior dog can travel with out any issues.
That notwithstanding, traveling for long hours can be difficult for all dogs, no matter their ages. It gets more difficult for senior dogs though. If you want to travel with your dog, you need to follow some guidelines and tips to make the entire journey easy for your dog.
Senior Dog Health Complications
Dogs get old faster compared to human beings. In addition, large dog breeds have a shorter lifespan compared to their smaller counterparts.
Even though dogs get old by the time they are seven years in age, this can be dictated by their breed. You, therefore, need to track the age and health of your dog at all times.
This is because of some common health problems associated with senior dogs such as arthritis. If you want to travel with your senior dog, you need to make sure that it is not suffering from any of these conditions. Additionally, researching the best pet insurance for pre-existing conditions can provide peace of mind and financial support for managing your senior dog’s health issues.
Through the use of the best CBD oil for dogs with arthritis, you can easily help your dog deal with arthritis and other health complications and ensure that your pet is ready for traveling. The healthier your senior dog is, the easier it is for the dog to travel with you.
Talk to Your Veterinarian
It is important to let your veterinarian know about your travel plans days or even weeks before the day of traveling. This will be important in making sure that you get a complete check-up and assess the vitality and health of your senior dog.
The veterinarian will be able to get the right picture of the health of your dog and determine whether the dog is fit to travel or not.
As discussed above, senior dogs are prone to some diseases such as diabetes and kidney diseases. These dogs need to be taken care of when traveling. Your veterinarian will give you advice on the things you need to do to travel with your dog without any issues.
Plan Your Travel in Good Time
If you are traveling overseas with your dog, you will be involved in a long process no matter the age of your dog. This will involve vaccinations, health tests, and paperwork among other things. Traveling with a senior dog is more complicated and requires one to start planning early.
The first step to traveling with a senior dog starts with the assessment of the dog’s health. This should include testing all the cognitive functions of the dog and all other issues related to old age.
After ensuring that everything is okay with your dog, you need to start crate training it. This is important in making sure that your dog will be comfortable when traveling since it will spend the entire time of the journey in its crate.
When getting the crate, you should make sure that it is large enough for the dog to make it comfortable when turning or sleeping.
Finally, ensure that the dog has all the required vaccinations. If you are traveling overseas, check the requirements of the country you are traveling to, to ensure that your senior dog meets all of them. You might also need a microchip for your dog if you do not have one.
Conclusion
Senior dogs are very sensitive when it comes to change. This means that dog owners need to be well prepared before they can start traveling with them.
Dog owners need to help their dogs feel comfortable and get familiar with their surroundings even when traveling for the first time. For instance, the crate training discussed above helps the dog feel comfortable when traveling since it is already used to the crate.
You also need to make sure that the dog is well-fed and has enough food and water for long journeys. With these tips, you will be able to travel with your senior dog without any problems.
