How to Prepare for a Pet Emergency When Traveling

When on the road with your pet, an emergency could arise just like it could at home—and being prepared could make all the difference. The following are ways to be ready for pet travel emergencies—so that hopefully you can continue enjoying your trip.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Bring along a pet first aid kit including the basics: anti-diarrhea remedy (preferably a prescription from a vet), antibiotic ointment, peroxide, gauze pads, bandages, thermometer, tweezers, cotton balls, Q-tips, cold pack and rags/rubber tubing for a tourniquet. Also include in the kit your name and contact information, vet's contact information and feeding/medication instructions in the event you become incapacitated. If you like you can purchase a pet first aid kit from the American Red Cross (see Resources below). It's also a good idea in case of a serious injury to have extra towels and blankets and/or a muzzle on hand to restrain your pet until you can obtain veterinary care.
2. Make copies of your pet’s medical records, including current vaccinations such as rabies, in case an emergency vet visit is required while on the trip.
3. Obtain the phone numbers and directions to a local vet and the nearest after-hours animal emergency clinic to your destination. Emergency clinics are normally open from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekdays and from Friday evening through Monday morning. Google “Animal emergency,” “after hours vet" or "after hours pet" plus the name of the city to find emergency clinics close to where you are staying. You can also check Pets 911, a website that features a directory of emergency clinics that you can search by just putting in the zip code (see Resources).
4. Bring along a national brand of bottled water (such as Wal-Mart or Aquafina) for your pet to drink so that you can always purchase more of the same. Also, bring enough of your pet's regular food to last through the trip. Sticking with the same water and food will decrease the likelihood of stomach upset.
5. Pay attention to what is normal for your pet including resting pulse and heart rates—for dogs it ranges from 60 to 120 bpm (beats per minute) and for cats it's 120 to 200 bpm. Counting the number of pulses in 15 seconds and multiplying that by four will give the bpm. A dog or cat's pulse can be found in the inner hind thigh. Normal temperature for dogs and cats is between 100 and 102.5 degrees.
6. Be aware of what are abnormal signs for a pet including blood in the stool or urine, bleeding from the mouth, nose or rectum, black, tarry stool, a weak or rapid pulse and shallow breathing. These are all red flags and will likely require immediate veterinary care. A change in appetite can be common while traveling.

Tips & Warnings

• If your pet has a specific medical condition, speak with your vet about possible emergency treatments that you can administer yourself. For example, an EpiPen (epinephrine pen) may be good to bring along in case your pet is prone to severe allergic reactions to bee stings.
• The American Red Cross teaches classes in pet first aid and they also offer pet first aid kits and a reference guide that teaches pet owners how to recognize an emergency, administer medications, perform CPR and treat common problems (see Resources).
• Always keep your cell phone charged so that if an emergency arises and you are not close enough to an animal hospital, you can call your own vet or an emergency clinic for advice. They should be more than willing to help if you explain that you're traveling.