Any Advice?

[Cathrine]

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Hello!

We are going on a holiday to Spain and we have decided to bring Mac. I don't think he would cope to well staying in a kennel for two weeks and he will probably appreciate the warmer weather (it was -14 here this morning...)

I have a prescription for Stesolid (same as Valium) to give him for the flight because he gets stressed when he is separated from us. As most of you know Mac is a bully and he suffers occasionally from muscle cramps. The idea was that the Stesolid will keep him calmer so he don't cramp when flying.

Anyway, I spoke to my mother and she said she had heard that you should not give the dogs anything because it can make the blood pressure fall and that the blood pressure is already lower when they are flying. So now I am in doubt about what to do....

Does anybody have any experience about this? Much appreciated!!!!

 

[Cathrine]

Anyone?

 

[Janimal]

Hope you get some advice Cathrine, sorry I cant help.

Maybe someone in the showing section who has been abroad with their dogs may be able to help...hope so... Good luck with your trip... :luck: :luck:

 

[Cathrine]

Cheers Janis, I'll post there as well :thumbsup:

 

[poppyandava]

Hello!

We are going on a holiday to Spain and we have decided to bring Mac. I don't think he would cope to well staying in a kennel for two weeks and he will probably appreciate the warmer weather (it was -14 here this morning...)

I have a prescription for Stesolid (same as Valium) to give him for the flight because he gets stressed when he is separated from us. As most of you know Mac is a bully and he suffers occasionally from muscle cramps. The idea was that the Stesolid will keep him calmer so he don't cramp when flying.

Anyway, I spoke to my mother and she said she had heard that you should not give the dogs anything because it can make the blood pressure fall and that the blood pressure is already lower when they are flying. So now I am in doubt about what to do....

firstly i am not a vet or a vet nurse but i worked in a vets as a drug despence

for a few years and i do take my dogs abroud but not on the plain not to say i wouldent or indeed wont anyway i would give out val reg to dogs for traveling on plains i assume the val has been given to you off the vet and if so he,she will have checked blood pressure and all that. if your feeling a bit unsure call your vet just to recap. plus consider the bennefit of the val against the fear of the flight for the dog do let me no how he got on cus i would love to take our 2 on a plain as it makes it so much quicker than by car train and boat

thanks happy holidays

 

[Seraphina]

I doubt that little bit of Valium will make the plane journey less frightening, while knocking the dog out is NOT recommended. I have flown my Borzoi and Whippet from Australia to Europe via London, and I also fly my dogs within Australia. I have sent small pups (3 months old) both within Australia and overseas. All these dogs traveled well. The trick is to get them used to crate and put them in with their own bedding, safe stuffed toy, rug them (in case of Whippets) and they will be fine.

It is difficult to advice categorically YES or NO without knowing the dog. If he crates without problem I would say do not give him anything unless he needs it to stop him cramping up. But i thought that happens after exercise? Another thing is; do you know how how he reacts to sedative? It may knock him out completely and for much longer than the journey. Are you going to be able to carry him in when you pick him up?

Thirty years ago, here in OZ, dogs were sedated routinely for plane travel. I once arrived to pick up a Dane from the airport and he was unable to stand, when we tried to carry him he was like a sack of potatoes.

 

[Cathrine]

I doubt that little bit of Valium will make the plane journey less frightening, while knocking the dog out is NOT recommended.    I have flown my Borzoi and Whippet from Australia to Europe via London, and I also fly my dogs within Australia.  I have sent small pups (3 months old) both within Australia and overseas.  All these dogs traveled well.  The trick is to get them used to crate and put them in with their own bedding, safe stuffed toy, rug them (in case of Whippets) and they will be fine. 
It is difficult to advice categorically YES or NO without knowing the dog.  If he crates without problem I would say do not give him anything unless he needs it to stop him cramping up.  But i thought that happens after exercise?  Another thing is; do you know how how he reacts to sedative?  It may knock him out completely and for much longer than the journey.  Are you going to be able to carry him in when you pick him up? 

Thirty years ago, here in OZ, dogs were sedated routinely for plane travel.  I once arrived to pick up a Dane from the airport and he was unable to stand, when we tried to carry him he was  like a sack of potatoes.

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Hello Seraphina!

The crating is not a problem. He travelled in it from England to Norway and as far as I know he was ok (my mother collected him because we were still on the ferry). He had Stesolid once before and reacted fine. He had pulled something in his neck and it was used to loosen up the muscles. He was able to walk fine but was a bit more "mellow". He has a tendency to wind himself up, I was hoping the valium would help him to stay relaxed, he is usually a tough guy :- )

The cramping can be caused by different things. Usually it is exercise, but he can also get it if he falls and tenses up to quick or sometimes when he is sleeping. Luckily it does not happen very often anymore, not even monthly.