Women's Health - USA (2019-06)

WOMEN’S HEALTH JUNE 2019

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If being a dog (or cat) mom has ever thwarted your

travel plans, consider this your guide to a safe and

smooth getaway—with or without your fur baby.

Time to Pet-Set

BRING THEM WITH YOU!

LEAVE THEM BEHIND

IF YOU’RE ROAD-TRIPPING...

Get them used to the car. Start taking your pet

on short rides that aren’t to the vet or groomer, and

give treats to reinforce good behavior. Each week,

make the ride a little longer.

Cover the car seat...with a bath mat that they lie

on at home. The scent will help them feel a s if

they’re in their usual environment, cooling their

nerves. (Bonus: less hair to clean up!)

Stop every three hours. This way, they can drink

water, pee, and most important, stretch their legs.

Stiffness—especially for older animals—can lead

to joint pain. Not so fun, especially on vacay.

Consider a sitter. Through friends

on Facebook or sites like Rover.com,

a temp guardian can be an affordable

option, especially if they watch your

pet at their home.

Interrogate your boarding facility.

Be sure to (kindly) a sk: How do you

handle issues or fights? What’s the

human-to-dog ratio? How much time

are dogs loose? Do you separate dogs

by size, age, and/or energy?

Have a backup plan in place.

Par ticularly if you’ll be hard to reach,

start a group chat with a friend or

relative and whoever will be in charge

of your pet so they can jump in for you

in case of a problem.

IF YOU’RE FLYING...

Book way in advance. Most flights allow only a

few pets on a plane, so the sooner you buy your

flight, the better. Call the airline first to ask about

their specific policy (for size, ID, etc.). FYI, JetBlue

has a great one (called JetPaws).

Ask your vet for calming meds. Anti-anxiety

drugs lower your pet’s state of awareness and

distress. To make sure your nug get tolerates them

well, pick up a sample dose to test beforehand.

IF YOU’RE STAYING AT A HOTEL...

Find a truly pet-friendly one. BringFido.com has

a directory of 25,000-plus properties that allow

dogs and cats, complete with reviews, size and

quantity restrictions, and free booking services.

Call the hotel to ask specific questions. Like:

Is there a dog park on-site or nearby? Do you offer

pet-sitting services? Will I pay a pet deposit or an

extra fee every day of my stay?

Source: Marty Becker, DVM, veterinarian and founder of Fear Free Pets

Keep

Them

Calm and

Carry On

ProPlan Calming Care

Probiotic

Starting at least a month before

your trip, sprinkle this daily

probiotic on their food so they’ll

react less to stress (i.e., your

absence). $50 for 45-day

supply, proplanvetdirect.com

Furbo Dog Camera

You can check in on your pup at

any time via an app on your

phone —and talk to them (or

toss ’em a treat) if they look

lonely. $199, furbo.com

Feliway Classic Starter Kit

This diffuser mimics the phero-

mones that help your cat feel

safe in her territor y, so she can

rest easy while you’re away.

$21, amazon.com

FOMO Bones

CBD-infused treats can help

doggies manage anxiety too.

(Don’t worr y, there’s no THC, so

they won’t get high or con-

fused.) $40, fomobones.com

Got a sitter?

Life-changing

products that’ll

make everyone

(pet included)

less nervous:

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WARM UP