Questions about flying with a dog safely. (UPDATE in #21)

[J-rap]

My daughter and her husband will be moving to the U.S. in December.  We're thrilled!  They're bringing the love of their life -- their dog.  :)  They are trying to think through all the details.  They are flying from a hot Central American country to a freezing northern climate.  I know temps have to be a certain range for dogs to fly, so they are flying out of their country early in the morning, and only flying as far as Dallas.  (So just a 4 hour, non-stop flight.)  From Dallas they'll rent a car and drive the rest of the way.

 

Their dog was a homeless street dog before a humane society rescued him.  He is extremely attached to my DD and her husband.  He will not let them out of his site, and has some anxiety.  When they leave him home alone, he'll often grab my daughter's shoe or SIL's shirt to sleep with.  He is great in car rides.

 

They have gotten a carrier that meets requirements to get him used to it.  (Putting treats in it, helping him feel like it's his safe place, etc.)

 

They recently met with the veterinarian there who will be making sure he has the required shots, health certificate, etc. for the flight.  But the vet also made some suggestions which we are wondering about.  He suggested giving their dog a mild sedative for the flight since he tends to be anxious and will be apart from my DD and husband.  (He is too big to be under their seat, so will be in the cargo area.)  I've heard mixed thoughts on sedatives.  I've suggested to my daughter that if they do that, they should at least try it out a week or two earlier, at home, to make sure he doesn't have any adverse reaction to it.

 

The vet also recommended they get him a little dog vest or something to wear, since he won't be used to the cool temp in Dallas and may be outside or in a warehouse for a few hour while they go through customs, etc.  (SIL is actually immigrating then, so the process may take awhile.)  That idea made me nervous too, because what if the dog is so anxious that he tries to chew his vest or pulls it in a way that it chokes him.)

 

Anyway, I know some of you are well versed in all of this, and perhaps you can advise.  My DD is quite worried about all of this, and I kind of am too.  We don't want to hear horror stories, because they have no other choice.  Just looking for advice to make the trip as decent and safe as possible for their sweet dog. 

 

Edited January 22, 2016 by J-rap

[OneStepAtATime]

I don't know that Dallas will be terribly cool.  Have you checked what the temps are usually like when they will be flying?  A lot of Texas is still hot.

 

I agree that a mild sedative may be a really good idea.  A panic-stricken dog with no one around to reassure them can easily injure themselves.  I also agree with you that testing his reaction to that sedative loooooong before they take their trip is also a really good idea.

 

I also strongly encourage them to research the airline they will be using and ask some really solid questions regarding how animals are taken care of during International flights.  Some airlines are more careful and caring than others.  

[J-rap]

I don't know that Dallas will be terribly cool.  Have you checked what the temps are usually like when they will be flying?  A lot of Texas is still hot.

 

I agree that a mild sedative may be a really good idea.  A panic-stricken dog with no one around to reassure them can easily injure themselves.  I also agree with you that testing his reaction to that sedative loooooong before they take their trip is also a really good idea.

 

I also strongly encourage them to research the airline they will be using and ask some really solid questions regarding how animals are taken care of during International flights.  Some airlines are more careful and caring than others.  

 

Temps in Dallas range from about 38-58 that time of year, so not too bad, just cooler than what he is used to.

 

They've been researching the major airlines carriers that have non-stop flights to the U.S. out of their country, and there are only 3.  One they ruled out right away because of some reviews, but they have spoken with representatives from the one they chose several times and I guess felt comfortable enough with what they were told. 

 

[Plink]

Thunder vests are great for anxious dogs. Have her get one now and acclimate him to it if she plans to use one.

 

She should assume that the dog will get lost in transit when packing for him - pack more food than necessary, clearly labeled tags on dog, crate, & any supplies etc.

 

If he isn't yet microchipped, that should be priority 1.

 

Have her double check on animal quarantine rules too.

[Pawz4me]

I think I would opt to use a sedative, but I'd research it thoroughly first.  I know some are supposedly better than others for particular situations.  And I agree with trying it out at home first.

[J-rap]

Thunder vests are great for anxious dogs. Have her get one now and acclimate him to it if she plans to use one.

 

She should assume that the dog will get lost in transit when packing for him - pack more food than necessary, clearly labeled tags on dog, crate, & any supplies etc.

 

If he isn't yet microchipped, that should be priority 1.

 

Have her double check on animal quarantine rules too.

Just wanted to say that I tried to "like" your post, but it wouldn't let me!  I could for the others, for some reason.  These are good ideas.  Thank you!

[J-rap]

Some sites I've researched have said that there can be an adverse reaction with sedatives due to the change in air pressure on a flight.  (resulting in a change in blood pressure, heart rate, etc. of the dog).  Is this something anyone has heard about?

[MercyA]

My dog was small enough to fly in cabin with me, but please tell your daughter to be careful about putting a vest on him. I once put a sweater on my dog while we were traveling, and when I opened the carrier, I found that he had pulled both front legs inside the sweater and was unable to walk out!  An out-of-place garment is uncomfortable at best and could be life-threatening at worst.

 

Your daughter might want to put her dog's crate pad in her bed and sleep on it a couple nights to get her scent on it.

 

Hope their travels go smoothly!  :001_smile:

[Amira]

It's my understanding that not all airlines will allow a sedated animal on the plane.  If they choose to do that, then they'd definitely want to test it before.

 

I don't have pets, but I know a lot of people who fly internationally with pets.  Some recommend using a calming collar (again, try it out before), putting something of theirs in the carrier like a t-shirt unless the dog is prone to shredding and possibly ingesting it, and adding Rescue Remedy for pets to the animal's water.  

 

Good luck to them.  An international move is always hard, but trying to make it go smoothly for a pet is particularly challenging.

[Lanny]

My elderly (12 1/2 years old) Old English Sheepdog made the trip from DFW Airport to CLO (Cali, Colombia) during February 1995.  The details are  fuzzy but I will try. The morning we left DFW on a flight about 7 A.M.  to MIA (Miami International Airport) the temperature, without the wind chill was approximately 20 F.   I had purchased a Vari Kennel

Some photos on this URL:  http://www.ebay.com/bhp/vari-kennel

 

And the Vari Kennel had been open in the Living Room, so the dog could get used to going into it for naps before the trip.

 

DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES give any sort of medication / tranquilizer, etc., to a pet before they fly.  NEVER DO THAT!

 

The older aircraft only had one compartment that had temperature regulation and air flow and it was necessary to clear it with the airline that they had space for my pet.  Be sure the dog has a reservation on the same flight as the passengers.

 

I put a Bungee Cord to secure the door, so it would not open accidentally.

 

As I recall, the fasteners were installed upside down, but I'm not sure about that and you need to research that.

 

Attach a small container of whatever food the dog is accustomed to eating, to the top of the crate, with Duct Tape or something, in case the dog goes astray (that is incredibly rare, but it happens).

 

I took some water with me in a jug inside the cabin

 

I had a friend with me (he had just retired from the airline) and he was a huge help, especially during the connection in MIA.

 

We checked the dog at the gate and we only checked her to MIA.  In MIA, we went to the baggage claim and got her crate and my friend watched the crate while I exercised the dog. Then, I gave her some food and some water. We put her back into the crate and my friend saw the line for First Class Passengers going to Europe was shorter, so we went there and we checked her from MIA to CLO.

 

The regulations of the destination country (in your case the USA) will dictate what shots and papers are required for the dog to enter the USA.

 

There should not be any problem, for a dog in good health and with the proper papers from the vet., etc.

 

Our Vari Kennel was loaned for several international trips from Cali and I don't know of any problems involved on those flights to/from Central America.

 

I would think it would be more of a shock to an animal, going from a Cold temperature into a Hot temperature, than going from a Hot climate into a Cold climate.

 

I put "LIve Dog" in Spanish and in English on the outside of the Vari Kennel.

 

I remember sitting inside the aircraft after we boarded in DFW and seeing my dogs crate on the tarmac.  They will load the dog last.

 

In MIA, my friend boarded the aircraft, but I told them I would wait, until they loaded my dog onto the aircraft.  It was much warmer in Miami, probably 85 F. and they intentionally waited, to load the dog, until  just before the aircraft was ready to prepare for push back.

 

After we cleared Immigration in CLO, my dog was waiting in her crate in the Baggage Claim.

 

I would probably not feed a lot, or provide a lot of water, before the flight.

 

The dog will be fine. And as I understand it there is only one short flight involved. The dog will probably do better than the owners and it will probably sleep most of the time during the flight.

[TheReader]

We have done Brazil to Houston, just a few years ago. We were told DO NOT sedate the dog, perhaps specific to our airline, but it was a great.big.NO. for us (we had 2 dogs, both in kennels in the belly of the plane). 

 

The airline will have rules on what can and can't go in the crate with the dog; we did not put on a vest or clothing, and really, I would not put it on the dog for the flight. The compartment is climate controlled, and then the dog will be transferred to a climate controlled area while waiting to be picked up; better option would be for her to bring a dog vest in her carry-on luggage and when she picks up the dog, to put it on him then if she feels he needs it for the cold. 

 

Be sure she's following the rules/guidelines set out on the airline website as the crate size is very specific, the pick up/drop off is very specific, the paperwork is very specific, etc. The airline website under their "travel with animals" page will have all of that. It was fairly straight forward to follow. 

 

I will say that it did traumatize one of our dogs more than the other; it took him a week in our new home before he would roll onto his back/show his belly, at all, even with just us home. But other than that, no issues at all. 

 

The airline provides labels and things for marking "Live Animal" and tells how to secure the food, etc., so it should be fine. 

[J-rap]

It's my understanding that not all airlines will allow a sedated animal on the plane.  If they choose to do that, then they'd definitely want to test it before.

 

I don't have pets, but I know a lot of people who fly internationally with pets.  Some recommend using a calming collar (again, try it out before), putting something of theirs in the carrier like a t-shirt unless the dog is prone to shredding and possibly ingesting it, and adding Rescue Remedy for pets to the animal's water.  

 

Good luck to them.  An international move is always hard, but trying to make it go smoothly for a pet is particularly challenging.

 

That's interesting that some airlines might not even allow sedation.  Good to know.

 

[J-rap]

My elderly (12 1/2 years old) Old English Sheepdog made the trip from DFW Airport to CLO (Cali, Colombia) during February 1995.  The details are  fuzzy but I will try. The morning we left DFW on a flight about 7 A.M.  to MIA (Miami International Airport) the temperature, without the wind chill was approximately 20 F.   I had purchased a Vari Kennel

Some photos on this URL:  http://www.ebay.com/bhp/vari-kennel

 

And the Vari Kennel had been open in the Living Room, so the dog could get used to going into it for naps before the trip.

 

DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES give any sort of medication / tranquilizer, etc., to a pet before they fly.  NEVER DO THAT!

 

The older aircraft only had one compartment that had temperature regulation and air flow and it was necessary to clear it with the airline that they had space for my pet.  Be sure the dog has a reservation on the same flight as the passengers.

 

I put a Bungee Cord to secure the door, so it would not open accidentally.

 

As I recall, the fasteners were installed upside down, but I'm not sure about that and you need to research that.

 

Attach a small container of whatever food the dog is accustomed to eating, to the top of the crate, with Duct Tape or something, in case the dog goes astray (that is incredibly rare, but it happens).

 

I took some water with me in a jug inside the cabin

 

I had a friend with me (he had just retired from the airline) and he was a huge help, especially during the connection in MIA.

 

We checked the dog at the gate and we only checked her to MIA.  In MIA, we went to the baggage claim and got her crate and my friend watched the crate while I exercised the dog. Then, I gave her some food and some water. We put her back into the crate and my friend saw the line for First Class Passengers going to Europe was shorter, so we went there and we checked her from MIA to CLO.

 

The regulations of the destination country (in your case the USA) will dictate what shots and papers are required for the dog to enter the USA.

 

There should not be any problem, for a dog in good health and with the proper papers from the vet., etc.

 

Our Vari Kennel was loaned for several international trips from Cali and I don't know of any problems involved on those flights to/from Central America.

 

I would think it would be more of a shock to an animal, going from a Cold temperature into a Hot temperature, than going from a Hot climate into a Cold climate.

 

I put "LIve Dog" in Spanish and in English on the outside of the Vari Kennel.

 

I remember sitting inside the aircraft after we boarded in DFW and seeing my dogs crate on the tarmac.  They will load the dog last.

 

In MIA, my friend boarded the aircraft, but I told them I would wait, until they loaded my dog onto the aircraft.  It was much warmer in Miami, probably 85 F. and they intentionally waited, to load the dog, until  just before the aircraft was ready to prepare for push back.

 

After we cleared Immigration in CLO, my dog was waiting in her crate in the Baggage Claim.

 

I would probably not feed a lot, or provide a lot of water, before the flight.

 

The dog will be fine. And as I understand it there is only one short flight involved. The dog will probably do better than the owners and it will probably sleep most of the time during the flight.

 

Thank you.  Lots of helpful info in here!  My dd does have a reservation already for both themselves and the dog, on the same flight.  Can you tell me why you strongly advise against any sedatives?

 

[J-rap]

We have done Brazil to Houston, just a few years ago. We were told DO NOT sedate the dog, perhaps specific to our airline, but it was a great.big.NO. for us (we had 2 dogs, both in kennels in the belly of the plane). 

 

The airline will have rules on what can and can't go in the crate with the dog; we did not put on a vest or clothing, and really, I would not put it on the dog for the flight. The compartment is climate controlled, and then the dog will be transferred to a climate controlled area while waiting to be picked up; better option would be for her to bring a dog vest in her carry-on luggage and when she picks up the dog, to put it on him then if she feels he needs it for the cold. 

 

Be sure she's following the rules/guidelines set out on the airline website as the crate size is very specific, the pick up/drop off is very specific, the paperwork is very specific, etc. The airline website under their "travel with animals" page will have all of that. It was fairly straight forward to follow. 

 

I will say that it did traumatize one of our dogs more than the other; it took him a week in our new home before he would roll onto his back/show his belly, at all, even with just us home. But other than that, no issues at all. 

 

The airline provides labels and things for marking "Live Animal" and tells how to secure the food, etc., so it should be fine. 

 

Thank you!  She'll have to check the specific airline I guess for all the specifics.  I know that more requirements have been put in place in the last few years or so.  I've heard some airlines require a block of ice in the crate (in some container) that the dog can drink as it melts.  DD has already been in touch with the drop-off site at their international airport (which is small).  It's funny, because each airline advertises its own waiting area but at her airport, they are just all together.  It sounds like in Dallas, there is just one big warehouse where all of the pets are taken (from all of the airlines) and kept until the owners can claim them.

[Lanny]

That's interesting that some airlines might not even allow sedation.  Good to know.

 

 

 

If anyone suggests sedation, for an animal that is going to fly, they have no idea about what they are suggesting might do to the animal involved. That should NEVER be done, to an animal that is going to fly.

[Lanny]

Follow on: I probably put the name of my dog and the airport code for our destination airport (CLO; Cali, Colombia) on the outside of her Vari Kennel.  She was eating a special (dry) food (IAMS for Intestinal problems or something like that) and I put 1 or 2 cups of that into a Ziploc bag and attached it to the top of the Vari Kennel with Duct Tape, in case the worst happened and she went astray.  I glanced at some other posts in this thread and someone mentioned putting Ice inside the crate while the dog is flying. That is not a good idea, unless the dog likes to be wet...The temperature regulation in the area where pets are transported is probably not as good as it is inside the passenger cabin, but it will probably be a comfortable room temperature. I would go very light on food and water before the flight and immediately after the flight. The dog will be fine.

[TheReader]

Thank you!  She'll have to check the specific airline I guess for all the specifics.  I know that more requirements have been put in place in the last few years or so.  I've heard some airlines require a block of ice in the crate (in some container) that the dog can drink as it melts.  DD has already been in touch with the drop-off site at their international airport (which is small).  It's funny, because each airline advertises its own waiting area but at her airport, they are just all together.  It sounds like in Dallas, there is just one big warehouse where all of the pets are taken (from all of the airlines) and kept until the owners can claim them.

 

Yes, we just did this less than 2 yrs ago, so it's fairly recent info. :) 

 

We were not told to bring ice...that would be odd. Our dogs managed though a 10 hour overnight flight, with no issues; your dd's dog with only needing a 4 hour flight should be fine :) 

 

We did have extra food and all of that, as Lanny said. And the dog's name, our name, etc. It's all on the paperwork supplied by the airlines/vet/etc when getting things arranged. 

 

I do know in Houston we had to go to a different area to pick up our dogs, not at baggage claim as Lanny experienced. We gathered our bags and things, left the airport and went to a nearby gas station/restaurant, and then DH went to the animal pick-up area; we arrived very early in the morning and actually had to wait for that area to open so we could collect the dogs. All of those details were in the paperwork we had (address for where to pick them up, etc.). 

 

It sounds like your dd is pretty on-top of things, just assure her the dog will be fine :) 

[Lanny]

The Vari Kennel crates are extremely sturdy. They protect the dogs  better than the passengers in the cabin are protected, in the incredibly unlikely event of an accident, or, much more common, if the flight experiences "CAT" (Clear Air Turbulence).   

 

There was a horrible accident here, on 20 December 1995, when an AA B757 was flown into one of our local mountains (2 Reckless/Incompetent Pilots).  There were about 8 or 10 passengers who survived. Possibly a few more than that.  There were also 2 or 3 dogs who survived.  The school DD attended for K4, K5 and First Grade lost a bunch of people in that accident.

 

Our Vari Kennel crate is on the front porch. The door was removed and it is used by one of the dogs as a dog house, on colder/rainy days, so he can be warmer.

 

[J-rap]

If anyone suggests sedation, for an animal that is going to fly, they have no idea about what they are suggesting might do to the animal involved. That should NEVER be done, to an animal that is going to fly.

 

Can you explain this more?

[Pawz4me]

Can you explain this more?

 

Sedatives can interfere with an animal's equilibrium, so make it hard for them to balance as the plane moves (or their carrier is moved) around.  A bigger concern is that sedatives along with altitude changes can cause respiratory and cardiac issues.  Those are more common with short nosed (brachycephalic) breeds.

 

That said, I believe the American Veterinary Medical Association's advice is generally to not sedate, but they recommend consultation with a vet for what is best for individual dogs.  Given that this dog seems to have some significant separation anxiety issues, I think a vet consult is an excellent idea.  As with many things, I doubt there's a "one size fits all" answer, and a vet who is familiar with the dog will be able to make the best recommendation.  It's possible when the vet suggested a mild sedative he was thinking of something along the lines of diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or one of the other antihistamines that make most dogs drowsy.  Some of those can also help prevent motion sickness.

[J-rap]

Thought I'd let you all know, since you don't always hear the positive stories of dogs flying safely when you search online, that dd's dog made it to the U.S. just fine!  

 

We were able to get him a Thunder vest before the trip, and get him used to wearing it.  (He actually seemed to love it!)  We opted to have his name monogrammed on it so that any airport handlers could easily see his name.  They didn't sedate him.  My daughter put signs on his crate in both English and Spanish saying something like:  "My name is XXX.  Please talk to me and say my name and it will help calm me."  :-)

 

He cried when they left him.  When they got to the airport in Texas, and by the time they went through immigrations, his crate was simply sitting in the luggage area!  They had expected him to be in a separate animal warehouse.  But several people were already gathered around him and talking to him, saying his name.  Very sweet.

 

Anyway, with all the horror stories you read online about flying with pets, I think most people usually have a good experience, so I wanted to relay ours.  And now, this little Latin American street dog is experiencing snow for the first time and loving it!  

 

 

[MercyA]

Wonderful!!! Thanks so much for the happy update!  :party: