What you need to know if taking your pet on holiday

Doctor Richard Murphy from The Vet with one of his patients

Taking your pet on holidayIt’s estimated that two in five Brits will take their dog on holiday. If that’s you, you’ll need to be prepared and gather as much information as possible before travelling. The best way to do this is to book an appointment with The Vet. In the meantime, here are the answers to our most frequently-asked questions:

Does my pet need extra vaccinations? Dogs and cats really should be protected with vaccinations all year round. You’ll need to show proof they are up to date if they are going into kennels, having a house sitter or your pet is going to a sitters home. At the Vet, we offer a free nurse health check and annual booster vaccination can be easily booked. If they haven’t been vaccinated at all or missed their last booster they’ll require two vaccinations, three weeks apart. Prevention is always best and we’d recommend you think about protecting against bacterial and viral infectious illnesses which can be covered by the Kennel Cough vaccine.

What’s a Pet Passport?If you’re travelling abroad, you’ll need a vet-issued Pet Passport. Your pet must be microchipped and have the rabies vaccination (min age 12 weeks) and you must wait 21 days before you can travel.Book an appointment as soon as you can in case you need treatments/vaccinations over a course of weeks to be up to date. If you are travelling to Southern and Eastern Europe, you could also consider to vaccinating against a nasty disease called leishmaniasis, which is spread by sand fly bites.

How do I help my pet settle on holiday?On arrival at your destination take them for a walk straight away and introduce them to their new surroundings. Try not to leave your dog alone for very long the first couple of days and keep them in the same routine at home. Most will settle in really quickly, keep mealtimes the same, bring their bedding, any medication, favourite toys, treats etc. and if possible keep to the same food they normally have.

If you’d like to speak to The Vet about vaccines and pet passports please register with us at the.vet.co.uk and book a consultation today. The Vet provides walk-ins Monday-Friday and appointments seven days a week and specialises in quality care at low prices, including a low-price guarantee and free pet taxi service to its new state-of-the-art 5,000 sq ft, purpose-built clinic. Go to www.thevet.co.uk or call (023) 9421 7644.