Welcome to Part Two of our Happy Travels Series, part of The Travel Experience from Palms & Paws, created alongside our friends at RetrievAir. Together, we’re unpacking everything you might need to consider for before, during, and after your adventures with your pet family.
In this post, we’ll focus on those times you find yourself needing (or wanting) to fly with your dog or cat. You’ve packed the bags. Checked the documents. Remembered the treats. (Need a refresher? See Part One.)
Now comes the exciting part. You’re going places, together!
But while we’re dreaming about our destination, our pets are experiencing something quite different. New sounds. New smells. Strange sensations. And perhaps a few fellow passengers they’d really like to meet.
Let’s make the journey as comfortable as the destination.
1. Cabin comfort. It’s all about the little things.
Aircraft feel and sound different from home. Engines, vibration, acceleration and changes in cabin pressure can all be new sensations.
Most healthy pets adjust to normal cabin-pressure changes without intervention. Swallowing naturally helps equalize middle-ear pressure.
Stay calm yourself. Speak normally. Offer reassurance if your pet seeks it, but don’t repeatedly fuss over a pet who has already settled.
If your pet has a known ear disease, respiratory disease or another condition that could make altitude or pressure changes a concern, discuss flying with your veterinarian beforehand.
Small aircraft can also be noisy. Don’t introduce unfamiliar hearing protection for the first time onboard. If you’re considering pet hearing protection, acclimate your pet to it gradually at home and ask your veterinarian whether it is appropriate.
2. Know what stress looks like.
A little vigilance goes a long way.
Some stress behaviors are obvious. Others can be subtle.
Watch for persistent or escalating panting, trembling, excessive drooling, repeated lip licking or yawning, restlessness, persistent vocalizing, hiding, freezing, withdrawal, repeated attempts to escape, vomiting, diarrhea or sudden unusual behavior.
For cats, open-mouth breathing or persistent panting deserves particular attention.
If you notice concerning behavior, alert the flight crew and focus first on reducing stimulation and helping your pet settle.
If your pet experiences medical difficulty, tell the flight crew right away and seek veterinary care immediately.
3. Motion sickness happens to pets, too.
Signs may include drooling, lip licking, repeated swallowing, restlessness, whining, nausea or vomiting.
If your pet has a history of motion sickness in the car, tell your veterinarian before the trip. Prescription anti-nausea medication may be appropriate and generally works best when planned before symptoms begin.
If vomiting occurs onboard, keep your pet comfortable, notify the crew and offer small amounts of water when appropriate rather than encouraging them to drink heavily at once.
Repeated vomiting, weakness or other concerning symptoms warrant veterinary advice.
4. Dogs on board!
Before boarding, give your dog a relaxed walk and plenty of time to sniff and relieve themselves.
Use a secure, properly fitted harness and leash. Keep identification current, including your mobile number, and make sure microchip registration information is up to date.
In flight, let your dog choose a comfortable position within the space permitted onboard.
Some dogs want physical contact. Others settle better with a little space. Follow their lead.
Offer water periodically. Treats can be useful for rewarding calm behavior, but a nervous stomach doesn’t need a steady stream of snacks.
On RetrievAir flights, follow crew instructions for securing your dog during taxi, takeoff, landing and turbulence.
A little extra care for senior dogs.
Age alone doesn’t ground an otherwise healthy traveler.
But older dogs may have arthritis, heart or respiratory disease, reduced bladder control, hearing or vision changes, or simply less tolerance for a long day.
Before flying, ask your veterinarian whether existing conditions change the travel plan.
On travel day, provide soft, supportive bedding. Help your dog on stairs or ramps, allow time to regain their footing after resting, keep medications on their veterinarian-approved schedule and watch for fatigue, pain, breathing changes or disorientation.
A stiff senior may need a quieter arrival day than their younger self once did. That’s perfectly fine.
For dogs with mobility challenges.
Plan the transitions, not just the flight.
Ask in advance about stairs, ramps and the distance between the terminal and aircraft. Bring any harness, sling or mobility aid your dog already uses.
After sitting for a prolonged period, allow your dog to rise slowly and regain their balance before asking them to walk.
Avoid introducing a brand-new mobility device on travel day whenever possible.
5. Cats on board!
Cats deserve their own flight plan.
For many cats, the most stressful part of travel isn’t the aircraft. It’s everything unfamiliar surrounding it.
Make the carrier home base.
Leave your cat’s carrier open at home well before the trip. Add familiar bedding. Place treats or favorite toys inside. Let your cat enter and leave voluntarily.
The goal is to transform the carrier from the box that predicts something scary into a familiar, safe space.
RetrievAir requires cats to remain in their carriers onboard. Choose one that is secure, well ventilated and large enough for your cat to rest comfortably.
Line the bottom with an absorbent pad beneath familiar bedding and pack replacements.
Never open your cat’s carrier on the ramp, outdoors or in another unsecured environment.
Consider the view.
Some cats relax when they can see their person. Others become calmer when part of the carrier is covered with a lightweight familiar blanket.
You know your cat best.
Make sure any covering still allows plenty of ventilation.
Feline pheromone products may help some cats. If your veterinarian recommends one, apply it to the carrier or bedding according to product instructions before your cat enters. Never spray a product directly onto your cat.
Carry fresh water, your cat’s normal food, absorbent pads, cleanup supplies and a portable litter setup for use when you reach an appropriate secure location.
Many cats will choose not to eat, drink or use a litter box during a relatively short journey. Don’t force the issue.
6. Hot tarmac. Cold tarmac.
The cabin isn’t the only environment that matters.
Boarding may include walking across an open ramp and using aircraft stairs. Pavement, sun, wind, rain and cold can create conditions very different from the comfortable terminal you just left.
On hot days, be mindful of paw temperature and overheating. Keep ramp time brief and follow crew directions. Boots or paw covers can be considered on the tarmac to the plane.
On cold days, consider the needs of small, short-coated, senior or medically vulnerable pets.
Flat-faced dogs and cats deserve particular caution in heat because their anatomy can make cooling and breathing more difficult.
Flying RetrievAir? We want to hear ALL about it!
Are you and your furry co-pilot taking to the skies with our friends at RetrievAir?
We’d love to swap travel stories, meet your adventurous pet family, and maybe even share your journey with our community on Instagram, @palmspawsofficial.
We’ll be sure to roll out the red carpet. First-class treatment for our four-legged travelers, of course!
Your adventure starts here.
Download your FREE Palms & Paws Happy Travel Guide, prepared for our friends at RetrievAir. Explore the complete travel-day checklist, veterinary guidance, and practical tips for every stage of your journey.
And don’t miss The Palms & Paws Pawdcast: Going Places, where Dr. Kevin and his special guests explore pet travel, inspiring rescue journeys and the extraordinary people making it all possible.
Happy travels, pet people!
Coming in for a landing? Continue with Part Three: Home Away From Home.
An important note from Palms & Paws
Every pet is different, and you know them best. Your veterinarian should advise you about your pet’s individual health, medications, anxiety management, feeding and suitability for air travel. Travel, vaccination, documentation and entry requirements vary by carrier, destination and jurisdiction and can change. Confirm current requirements before every trip. If your pet experiences medical difficulty, seek professional veterinary care immediately.
The information provided is for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute veterinary advice, does not create a veterinary-client-patient relationship, and is not a substitute for consultation or treatment with a licensed veterinarian. The information provided may not be edited, copied, or altered in any way without the express written permission of Palms & Paws. All information is subject to Palms & Paws’ Terms & Conditions.
