Travelling Whippet

[Cathrine]

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I have posted this in the "general whippet discussion" and "general dog talk" sections too, but somebody suggested to post here as well

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-three 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. Mac is a bully whippet and he suffers occasionally from muscle cramps. The idea was that the Stesolid will keep him calmer so he don't cramp when flying. It is muscle relaxing as well as reducing anxiety.

Anyway, I spoke to my mother and she said she had heard that you should not give the dogs sedatives 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.... My vet said she would not prescribe a normal sedative, but said she would rather give Stesolid.

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

 

[Seraphina]

I do not sedate my dogs when they fly. Dog that is used to being crated should travel OK. In your case, maybe little bit just to relax him, but there are so many things to think about. How long is the flight and how long before departure you have to check him in? Where are the dogs kept before they are loaded? Here in Australia they need to be there at least 1 hour before the flight leaves and they are in air conditioned hall, which is quite cold. The dogs fly in the tail section accessible from inside and the cabin crew gives them drink. If dog is too sedated it may not drink and will dehydrate during long flight. I believe that it is also quite cool, so I rug my Whippets for a journey.

Also remember that some countries have different drug laws, and you can get in trouble having drug that you got legally in another country _ i am assuming that you would bring with you some for the return flight.

Another thing to think of, if you sedate - what would you do if he still cannot stand up when you collect him? Will you be able to cope?

 

[Avalonia]

We have flown with and/or shipped more than 30 dogs over the past decade and a half, many of the dogs within Canada but a number of others on extended trips from here in Canada to Scandinavia. We have used several reliable airlines (KLM, Air Canada, Lufthansa) all of which request that a dog NOT be sedated because of potential dangers of medication to the dog flying at altitude. You may have to deliver your dog to the airline two to three hours in advance of your trip -- here in Canada a dog going on KLM to Europe must be delivered to the airline in crate a minimum of three hours in advance of the trip. Add that to the flying time, and the time to deplane the dog at the other end and perform whatever checks are needed, and decide for yourself whether your dog is temperamentally capable of being crated for that long unmedicated. If the answer is no, then please for his sake make arrangements to leave him at home with friends or family, or even at a reliable kennel.

We have never sedated a dog and never have had problems with those we shipped or travelled with, but there were news stories here in Canada about a year ago about a dog who went beserk in his kennel, managed to break his way out of it, and went frantic in the hold trying to get out. The flight had to make an unscheduled landing because of the loose dog in the hold, and the owners were presented with a huge bill for the costs associated with making that stop (and inconveniencing all the other passengers on the flight... some of whom missed ongoing connections as a result).

Lanny

 

[Cathrine]

Thanks for good advice. I think I will probably not give him the valium. As far as I know he travelled well enough from England to Norway (I was not there to collect him, but my mother said he seemed fine.) He is not easily traumatised this lad, so he will probably be ok. We can check him in 1 hour before the flight and the flight is about 4 hours so it is not too bad. It is better for him to come with us than to stay behind in a boarding kennel. I did consider it but he gets very panicky away from us. It is also very cold here in the winter, so I think it can be a bit cold for him in the kennels, even if they are heated

He spends most of the day completely wrapped up in blankets and duvets...