Traveling Cross-Country With Rover? 3 Dog Care Tips For Your Epic Adventure
Dogs make excellent road trip companions. They never complain, eagerly enjoy your random stops, and love exploring new places. While dogs are fairly low-maintenance traveling buddies, it is important to be extra vigilant regarding their safety. As you make your travel itinerary, keep these dog care tips in mind to avoid having your epic adventure interrupted by a preventable emergency.
Prioritize Hydration
It may be tempting to skimp on water in an effort to avoid multiple potty breaks. However, dehydration is a common reason for people having to make a stop by the emergency veterinary clinic while they are on the road. Make sure to carry a collapsible bowl in the car, and give your dog a water break every time you stop. Additionally, increase your dog's water availability anytime you are driving through a warm climate and always after periods of heavy exercise.
Research Local Dangers
Traveling cross-country means that your dog may encounter dangers that you would never consider in your hometown. For example, romping in the fields of rattlesnake country leaves your dog vulnerable to bites. Or that stop at a scenic mountain stream may expose your dog to bacteria that causes serious intestinal distress. Poisonous plants may also be found in parks and even hotel rooms as decorations. Spend some time researching the local plant and wildlife of each new state you plan to travel through so that you can be on the lookout for potential life-threatening dangers.
Keep Them Close
During your trip, you can expect to make many stops, and each time you get out of your car creates another potential opportunity for your dog to get lost or injured. Make sure to double up on your dog's identification tags, and check to make sure their microchip information is accurate. Always keep your dog on a leash unless they are in the safety of a fenced dog park, since vehicle accidents are another reason for visits to the emergency vet.
Few traveling friends will ever be as loyal as your dog. Reward their loyalty by looking out for their best interests during every mile of your trip. Research potential dangers and know what to do an emergency so that any illness or injury your dog experience is able to be promptly treated. This way, you can be certain that they will enjoy each minute of traveling by your side as they make each stop an opportunity to explore and play with their exuberant personality.
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