Getting Your Dog Certified Before Air Travel

Whether you are taking your dog on vacation with you or moving, you need proper certification before taking pets on planes. Certification is used to verify your dog's overall health. It also protects him or her from other animals checked on the plane. Vets may combine the two basic certification requirements into one document, or they might keep them separate. Either way, your dog's overall health and current vaccinations must be validated before you can take your pet on an airplane.

Validating the Overall Health of Your Dog

A recent Certificate of Veterinary Inspection – or health certificate – must be obtained prior to travel. This document should be less than 2 weeks old. In fact, most airlines won't accept a health certificate that is given more than 10 days before departure. However, if your dog's veterinarian suspects any health problems, blood work may be required before the OK to travel is given. For this reason, it is best to take your pet to the vet with a few days to spare.

Veterinarians at sites like http://www.1stPetVet.com look for specific health concerns in dogs before they are allowed to travel. The basic components of a health certificate are outlined below.

Check Respiratory System

 Pet-friendly airlines use climate-controlled cargo holds for animals too large to travel in the cabin. However, this doesn't eliminate all health risks associated with pet travel. Pug-nosed dogs struggle on long plane flights, because their flat faces inhibit their breathing. No matter what species your dog is, it's respiratory system must be carefully evaluated before flying.

Analyze Anxiety Levels

Dogs with high anxiety shouldn't fly. During a plane flight, stress is heightened because animals are in unfamiliar territory, being handled by strangers. Add that to the noise and confusion of an airport, and your pet's stress could result in antagonistic behavior, higher susceptibility to sickness, or even heart failure. While you have the option of sedating a dog with high anxiety levels, this practice is discouraged. Sedated dogs typically become colder as their blood pressure drops. In a cooled cargo hold, this could result in hypothermia. Sedated dogs can also experience difficulty breathing in a plane.

Determine Age Risks

Dogs can be too old or too young to fly. Puppies aren't allowed to fly until they are weaned and have been given their first set of vaccinations. Older dogs might not pass a health inspection because they are at higher risk for stress-related illnesses. If your dog's life is in jeopardy because of his or her age, it will not be allowed on a plane.

Evaluate A Female's Situation

Female dogs shouldn't fly when they are in heat or pregnant. These situations put her at risk for injuring herself or other dogs. She might try to get out of her cage to see another dog or end up giving birth to pups in the plane.

Get Up-To-Date on Vaccinations

Your pet cannot travel unless he or she has been vaccinated. You should have your dog vaccinated at least 30 days before departing. If you can't prove that your pet has received a rabies vaccination, the airline is authorized to quarantine your dog for up to 6 months. In addition to the rabies vaccination, your dog should have its annual boosters before flying.

Air travel for pets is an option whether you are vacationing or moving. However, it's important to make travel plans in advance. As part of your preparations, you need to take your dog to the veterinarian to get a health certificate. This certificate is like a physical for animals. It verifies that your pet is in good condition and can fly without health complications. As part of the checkup, your dog's vet will also make sure his or her vaccinations are up-to-date so your pet can be kept with other animals on the flight.