Top 10 Tips for Safe Car Travel With Your Pet

 For some pet parents, a trip's no fun if the four-legged members of the family can't come. But traveling can be highly stressful, both for you and your animal companions. With thoughtful preparation, you can ensure a safe and comfortable trip for everyone.

Planning a road trip? Traveling with a pet involves more than just loading the animal in the back seat and motoring off—especially if you will be driving long distances or plan to be away for a long time. The ASPCA offers the following tips to help you prepare for a safe and smooth car trip:

1. Keep your pets safe and secure in a well-ventilated crate or carrier. There are a variety of wire mesh, hard plastic and soft-sided carriers available. Whatever you choose, make sure it's large enough for your pet to stand, sit, lie down and turn around in. And P.S., it's smart to get your pet used to the carrier in the comfort of your home before your trip.

 2. Get your pet geared up for a long trip by taking him on a series of short drives first, gradually lengthening time spent in the car. And please be sure to always secure the crate so it won't slide or shift in the event of a quick stop.

 3. Your pet's travel-feeding schedule should start with a light meal three to four hours prior to departure. Don't feed your furry friend in a moving vehicle—even if it is a long drive.

 4. Never leave your animal alone in a parked vehicle. On a hot day, even with the windows open, a parked automobile can become a furnace in no time, and heatstroke can develop. In cold weather, a car can act as a refrigerator, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.

 5. What in your pet's traveling kit? In addition to travel papers, food, bowl, leash, a waste scoop, plastic bags, grooming supplies, medication and a pet first-aid kit, pack a favorite toy or pillow to give your pet a sense of familiarity.

 6. Make sure your pet has a microchip for identification and wears a collar with a tag imprinted with your home address, as well as a temporary travel tag with your cell phone, destination phone number and any other relevant contact information. Canines should wear flat (never choke!) collars, please.

 7. Don't allow your pet to ride with his head outside the window. He could be injured by flying objects. And please keep him in the back seat in his crate or with a harness attached to a seat buckle.

 8. Traveling across state lines? Bring along your pet's rabies vaccination record, as some states requires this proof at certain interstate crossings. While this generally isn't a problem, it's always smart to be on the safe side.

 9. When it comes to H2O, we say BYO. Opt for bottled water or tap water stored in plastic jugs. Drinking water from an area he's not used to could result in tummy upset for your pet.

 10. If you travel frequently with your pet, you may want to invest in rubberized floor liners and waterproof seat covers, available at auto product retailers.

 SOURCE: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/car-travel-tips

Dr. Chalaporn Hathaidharm

We are proud to welcome Dr. Hathaidharm to Arguello Pet Hospital! 

Read her biography below: 

I am originally from southern California, and am looking forward to making the San Francisco Bay Area my permanent home and being a part of this wonderfully diverse community. 

I graduated with honors from UC San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a double minor in sociology and cognitive science.  I briefly worked in industry as a computer scientist at a startup company, went to graduate school, and eventually made the decision to switch career paths to pursue my childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian.

After gaining experience as a volunteer at an animal shelter and working as a veterinary assistant, I was accepted to Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine.  I was inducted into the Phi Zeta Honor Society and graduated with honors in 2010. I completed a small animal medicine and surgery rotating internship at Garden State Veterinary Specialists in New Jersey in 2011, and an internal medicine specialty internship at the Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center of Westbury in New York in 2012. Before joining the team at Arguello Pet Hospital, I worked as a general practitioner and emergency relief veterinarian in California’s Central Valley.

My professional interests include internal medicine, critical care, ultrasonography, endoscopy, and laparoscopic procedures.  In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, birding, reading, photography, watching documentaries, and am enthusiastically taking piano lessons as an adult student.  I live with two cats, Cozy (a hurricane Ike rescue) and Minichuf.