Take stock of its pest control treatments
Is your dog regularly treated against parasites? It is perfect, but it is most certainly against the parasites that are most likely to infest it in the region where you live. However, in the region in which you are going to go for the holidays, there may be parasites against which it is not protected. For example, a dog that lives in Lorraine all year round does not normally need to be treated with an antiparasitic product effective against sandflies, kinds of small mosquitoes which, if bitten, can inoculate parasites responsible for an incurable disease called leishmaniasis.On the other hand, if this dog accompanies its masters during their holidays in the South of France where the sandfly is present, it will be necessary to protect it against the bite of this small mosquito.
The best thing is to take stock with your veterinarian at least one month before your departure date during a consultation. The practitioner can then, depending on your destination, advise you on the most suitable preventive treatment for your animal. Be careful, some treatments must be put in place well before departure. Find out as soon as possible!
Find out about the regulatory conditions of your place of destination
As a reminder, if you travel with your dog within the European Union, you will need to be able to justify at least:
- the identification of your animal by means of an electronic chip justified by its identification card,
- its rabies vaccination, proof of which is provided by its entry on the animal's European passport issued by the veterinarian. During its first vaccination, the animal must be 3 months old and it is necessary to wait 21 days for the vaccination against rabies to be recognized as valid.
Depending on your destination country, additional conditions may be required. It is then necessary to anticipate them by asking the embassy in France of the country of destination.
Also check that you meet the conditions for transporting your pet by train, plane or boat. These conditions are imposed by the transport companies.
Also note that some resorts such as campsites may also impose their conditions on the reception of a dog. Remember to have them specified at the time of your reservation.
List your dog's things to take away
To make sure you don't forget anything, remember to make a list of your dog's things that you will take to your vacation spot. Among the essentials, remember to put in your suitcase:
- Its croquettes,
Remember to take your bag of croquettes with you in case you can't find the same ones at your vacation spot. Indeed, dogs fed with kibble can encounter problems with loose stools if their diet is changed too suddenly without practicing a food transition.
- His bed,
Changing surroundings can be upsetting for sensitive dogs. To help him get used to the accommodation you will occupy with him during the holidays, take his bedding with you. He will thus be able to find a little “piece of home” with reassuring smells in this new environment.If that's not enough to reassure him, bet on a collar with soothing pheromones (to put on a few days before departure) and/or Bach flowers to help him better accept the change.
- His he alth record,
- His leash, collar and/or harness,
- A small first aid kit containing at least a disinfectant solution that does not sting, a small hook to remove ticks, saline pods, sterile compresses and round-tipped scissors.
- Fresh water for the trip.
Remember to update your details with i-Cad
Your dog must be legally identified, by means of a tattoo or an electronic chip, with the national identification file for domestic carnivores, the I-cad. If your animal runs away to your vacation spot, it is this file - which also contains the owner's contact details - that will be questioned to return the animal to you.But, if your contact details are no longer up to date, following a move or a change of telephone number, it will be impossible to contact you! Remember, before you leave, to update your details with the i-Cad. This is all the more important since 1/3 of animals lost are lost during the summer holidays (source: I-cad).
Find countermeasures against the heat
In summer, the number one enemy of dogs is heat. When the mercury rises, the risk is that your pet will suffer from heat stroke. Do not be fooled by the rather innocuous name of this syndrome: heat stroke is very serious or even potentially fatal to a dog and it can happen very quickly! Indeed, the regulation of body temperature is not very effective in our canine friends, for lack of sweat glands on their body. The only ones they have are located on their pads and are not sufficient in case of high heat to lower its internal temperature.So you have to find strategies to help your dog's body cool down.
Also read: How to cool your dog this summer?Download some useful apps
Your dog is sick or has an accident at your vacation spot but you don't know where to find a veterinarian? The 100% free SOS PETS application geolocates you and tells you which are the nearest open veterinary clinics. If necessary, the application can also find an animal taxi. A very useful application to download before your departure!
If you go to the beach with your pet, also put the website www. Animaux-sur-la-plage.com in your favorites. Very practical with its interactive map and its geolocation system, the site allows you to know the beaches authorized for dogs where you can share a swim and a beautiful moment of complicity.