Traveling with pets: feeding on road trips and flights

The simplest feeding rule for a trip is to change as little as possible. Bring the dog's or cat's usual food, keep meal times close to the home schedule, and adjust only the timing of the meal before departure. Stress, motion sickness and a new environment already give the gut plenty to cope with; a new food on top of that is an avoidable cause of vomiting or loose stools.

Before leaving home

Pack the regular food in enough quantity for the whole trip, plus a few extra days in case of delays. Keeping it in its original bag means the brand, formula and batch are on hand if anyone else has to buy more or if the animal becomes unwell.

If that food cannot be bought at the destination and the trip is long, there are two options. One is to ship or carry enough. The other is to move the animal onto a widely available food at home, weeks before departure, so that any upset happens where the regular vet is close. A change should be gradual over about a week; the guide to switching foods sets out a schedule.

What to pack

• The regular food, with a few days' spare
• Collapsible food and water bowls
• Water from home or bottled water for the first days, if the animal has a sensitive stomach
• Usual treats, counted as part of the day's food
• All medications and supplements, in their labeled containers
• A copy of the medical records and a written feeding routine for anyone else who will feed the animal
• Poop bags and paper towels

Road trips

On a long drive, keep the animal secured: small pets in a carrier, larger dogs on the back seat in a crash-rated restraint. The Merck Veterinary Manual advises stopping every two hours so the pet can drink and relieve itself, and feeding its dry food on the regular schedule. Cars heat up fast. Never leave a dog or cat alone in a parked vehicle, even for a short stop.

At a stop, offer water first. If the animal wants to eat, give a small portion and let it settle for a few minutes before driving on. A stressed or nauseous dog that refuses food should not be coaxed. Offer the next meal once the day's driving is done.

Motion sickness

Car sickness is more common in young dogs than adults, and many puppies outgrow it by about a year of age. Signs include drooling, lip licking, whining and pacing, and they can come well before the dog actually vomits. For dogs that get sick, VCA suggests withholding food for up to 8 hours before the trip if that is not too stressful, while providing water. An empty stomach reduces nausea and the number of stops needed.

That advice does not suit every animal. Young puppies, toy breeds and diabetic pets should not go long without food, so ask the vet about meal timing first. The vet can also prescribe an anti-nausea medication such as maropitant. Human travel-sickness tablets and herbal remedies should not be given without veterinary advice on whether they are appropriate and at what dose.

Flying

For air travel, Merck's guidance is to feed a light meal at least six hours before departure. Water can be frozen in the crate bowl just before the trip, which keeps it cool during the flight. For journeys longer than 24 hours, a bag of the animal's dry food should be attached to the crate so airline staff can feed it.

Sedation is usually a poor idea. Many vets advise against sedating a pet before a flight in case it has a bad reaction to the drug in the air, such as collapse or difficulty breathing. If an animal is so distressed by travel that a vet does prescribe something, try the drug at home before the trip to see how the animal responds.

Pets in the cabin can usually be offered water and a few familiar treats during the flight. A full meal in the air is best avoided, because there is nowhere to take a dog to relieve itself. For cargo travel in hot months, early morning or late evening flights reduce the risk of overheating.

At the destination

Offer water soon after arrival, then give the animal time to settle before its next meal. Many pets are too unsettled to eat straight away.

• Pick one feeding spot and use it for the whole stay.
• Keep the home meal times, adjusted gradually if the time zone has changed.
• Store food sealed and out of the heat, especially in rentals, tents and cars.
• Tell everyone in the group the feeding rules. Table scraps and local treats from well-meaning friends are an easy way to undo a careful plan.
• Check new surroundings for accessible trash, fallen fruit, and food left within reach of a dog that scavenges more when it is anxious.

Stress and appetite

A healthy adult dog may eat less for a meal or two while it adjusts. A quiet spot, its own bowl and a little warm water on the food often help. If it still refuses food after a day or two, or if it vomits repeatedly, has diarrhea or seems lethargic, it needs to see a vet.

Cats need a lower threshold. An overweight cat that stops eating for days can develop hepatic lipidosis, a fat build-up in the liver that is the most common form of liver dysfunction in cats and can be fatal without treatment. A cat that refuses food on a trip should not be left to "settle in" for several days. Call a vet if it has not eaten within a day.

Some animals go the other way and scavenge or overeat when stressed. Measure meals as usual and resist the urge to top up the bowl to comfort them.

Sources

1. Traveling by car with pets. Merck Veterinary Manual.
2. Motion sickness in dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals.
3. Traveling by plane with pets. Merck Veterinary Manual.
4. Hepatic lipidosis: clinical review drawn from collective effort. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2018.