Although driving may be less risky for companion animals than flying, there are some precautions to take while traveling:
- Never leave your dog alone in the car
- Dogs can suffer heatstroke and even die when left inside parked cars even on mildly warm days.
- On a 78°F day the temperature inside a shaded car is 90°F and the inside of a car parked in the sun can reach 160°F in minutes.
- Animals can succumb to heatstroke within just 15 minutes.
- To prevent car sickness:
- Make sure that dogs are fed early so that they don't eat within a few hours of departure.
- Exercise them several hours before departure. This will give the dog opportunity to get enough water following exercise.
- Don’t allow your dog to ride in the bed of a pickup truck. One abrupt stop could propel the dog into the street. And on hot days, the hot metal truck bed could burn the feet of dogs.
- Bring along sufficient water with ice for rest stops. No-spill travel bowls make a wonderful addition to your traveling supplies.
- Consult your veterinarian for remedies for carsickness. Or try ginger capsules available at health-food stores, which has been known to help with carsickness.
- Use a kennel or restrain your dog with a canine seat belt.
- Never open a car window or door when your dog is unrestrained. Countless dogs have been lost at tollbooths and rest stops this way.
- Stop to walk dogs often.
- Use a window shade for the back and side windows.
- Make sure that your air conditioning is working properly and use it while driving.
- Don’t let your dog hang his or her head out the window.
Using this tips may help make your car trip more enjoyable for both you and your dog.
