Veterinarian breaks down safe ways to travel with pets ahead of Memorial Day weekend

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – Memorial Day is almost here, and it’s a weekend known for traveling.

Not only are families hitting the road but furry friends may be coming along.

With temperatures rising, there are some safety precautions pet owners need to keep in mind when traveling.

Dr. Danielle Bernal, a Wellness Pet Company Global Veterinarian says, “For dogs, there’ll be new smells and new sounds, and lots of things going on. Even if you’re taking your cat, it’s the exact same so there’s a lot of new at once. They may be feeling really anxious.”

Bernal says preparation is essential. “You want to make sure that you’ve got everything for their day to day but also their touches of home so that when you arrive, they know they’re eating the same food and are having lots of activity with those touches of home.”

With temperatures on the rise and summer on the way, heat dangers should also be considered.

“Make sure there’s a huge plan in place for them and that’s going to be if they’re outside, they’ve always got shade, they’ve always got water. If you’re exercising them because that’s important to keep their routine, you do it morning and night so that’s important to make sure they’ve got water. Most importantly, never leave your dogs in the car, even if you are somewhere where you have to just run into the store, it can take just seven minutes to suffer extreme heat exhaustion on a really hot day,” Bernal told WITN.

The right nutrition can also play a big role in the health of your pet. “There’s certain foods that yes, our dogs and cats will love but that will also give them a lot of upset so make sure you’re not feeding them anything that is too excessive and keep them healthy. Pack their food, put a little extra treats on top. They’ll love that just as much and they’ll stay healthy.”

If your pet is struggling with the anxiety and nerves of being in a new place, Bernal recommends looking into medications to help.

Bernal says, “You might want to add in a supplement that’s more common and relaxation focused or even for the Fourth of July. If they’re really stressed, start talking to your veterinarian about what an alternative option is.”

If you want to be fun while taking precautions and keeping your pet’s diet healthy, you can also try fun and healthy ways that are perfect for summer by considering a pup-scicle. You can include ingredients like yogurt, frozen berries, and peanut butter – freeze them, and they’re ready to serve.

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