If you love the company of your dog on holiday, you’ll have to make holiday preparations for him too. After all, your four-legged friend should also be able to enjoy the holiday and return in good health. Dog owners who think about the important vaccinations early on and are also equipped for emergencies can relax and look forward to their holiday. This is what the experts from the Fressnapf chain of specialist shops recommend:

Go to the vet in good time before your holiday: Quite apart from the fact that entry requirements for other countries often stipulate certain vaccinations, you should definitely seek the advice of a vet for your pet before the trip - even if you are only travelling in your home country. The vet will carry out a health check, tell you about possible risks and entry requirements of your planned holiday destination, recommend appropriate prophylactic measures and help you to put together your first-aid kit. As a general rule, you should always ensure that your dog has its booster vaccinations once a year to rule out rabies and other virus infections.

Check your pet’s first-aid kit: In addition to medication that your dog needs on a regular basis, you should pack the following: medication against travel sickness, wound spray/cream and disinfectant (e. g. iodine), charcoal tablets or other medication against diarrhoea, eye and ear drops, electrolyte powder, cooling compresses, a topical treatment against parasites, flea and tick collar, fever thermometer, dressing material and scissors.

Have your pet treated in emergencies: If your dog becomes ill or is injured abroad, you must consult a vet. This applies, for example, when it has serious external injuries, if it is suffering from continuous vomiting or shows symptoms of serious illnesses (see box). To cover the costs of such treatment, many owners take out a pet health insurance for their dogs that also covers them while they are abroad. Fressnapf offers comprehensive insurance of this kind at www.fressnapf.de/service/versicherung.

Beware of diseases!
There are health risks abroad, particularly for dogs, and you should try to avert these. Particular care is required in the Mediterranean region, in North Africa and Eastern Europe. Please ensure that you obtain the required information beforehand and that you always have the latest information on illnesses, some of which can prove fatal. Small sandflies for example carry the incurable leish-maniasis that causes eczema, damages internal organs and in the worst case can be passed on to humans. Ticks are the culprits when it comes to the malaria-like babesiosis that destroys the red blood cells, and can also carry ehrlichiosis and hepatozoonosis that lead to extreme weakness in dogs.Mosquitoes can carry pathogens of the heartworm disease in which worms attack the lung and heart. Remember: a sick dog can pass on pathogens in your home country too!

Download this article (PDF) (1401 KB)


Pictures from this article:

Dog with medicine travel bag Download as CMYK - JPEG (Photos may only be reproduced with permission and in connection with editorial text. High-resolution photos can be requested from the Fressnapf press office.)