Like Us
Follow @dogster
Google +1 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Contact Us
Forums Home » Senior Dogs
GO!

Considerations for a senior dog re: travel

Share advice for keeping your aging dog happy and healthy

  
Eponine

Love- unconditionally.

moderator		 
 
Barked: Fri Mar 4, '11 9:02am PST 
I've been putting off making this post, because I've been thinking hard about this. There is a lot of complicated crap surrounding getting a dog from the US to the UK, and my life in general seems to be kind of complicated right now. But now that we have the senior forum, I am inspired to ask for information specific to the heart of the problem.

Eppy is not a spring chicken anymore. The crux of the problem is that I'm desperate to have her with me but I don't know if that's totally selfish and I should leave her where she is.

Background: I came overseas to study, leaving Eppy with my Nana while I buggered off to the UK to get my Masters, thinking "oh, I'll be back in a year, and if I find a job or something and want to stay, I'll just fly the dog and cat over, no big."

Well, yes big. I'm here for now, I met someone, and all that. Staying in this area for another 2 years at least, while he finishes HIS stint at uni. And the legalities and fine print of the process of importing a dog here from the US? Oh. My goodness. It's a bit daunting. And expensive. And takes 6 months.

But I miss her more all the time and I'm scared that if I wait too long, she won't be there anymore. It is a bit of an irrational fear-- yes, she's 11 or 12 now, but she's a small dog, and in good health. But there are no guarantees, you know?

I had a friend offer to pay her way over, which was an amazing gesture, possibly the most generous offer I've ever received in my life. Now I really have the opportunity to actually have her with me, which is huge for me. I think about her all the time. I was thinking of trying to get the process started as soon as I have secured a job (still looking, sadly).

But I'm concerned. How would she handle the flight? She hates riding in the car, and it's 8 flippin hours, and they're not allowed to come out of the crate the whole time.

I mean, she's not with me right now, but she's safe and cared for. I'm not going to kill her just for the chance to have her again.

How do elderly dogs handle transatlantic travel?
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
Lucille

I am the Sock- Bandit!!!		 
 
Barked: Fri Mar 4, '11 9:14am PST 
Would you consider medicating her for the trip?

There are better medications now for stressed out dogs travelling than there used to be.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Lilith

I'm a trilingual- dog!		 
 
Barked: Fri Mar 4, '11 9:16am PST 
Pretty well, I'd say. Our breed circle (CsV) flew a dog born in 1998 from Europe to Brazil recently. He did fine.

Now with all that UK quarantine stuff.. you can do that while the pup is in the US. It's the same process as going to any other WHO designated rabies-free country.

When we did it with our pups, it really wasn't prohibitively expensive. Probably around $800 or so with transit prices, shots, microchips, and titers.
[notify]

Eponine

Love- unconditionally.

moderator		 
 
Barked: Fri Mar 4, '11 9:24am PST 
Lucille, I will ask the vet about medications for the trip. Some airlines, I have heard, don't allow you to drug the dogs for the flight.

As to the expense, 800 is quite reasonable (and I will be paying a certain amount of this from my savings, I just have to be very careful with money, especially until a job comes through), and actually less than I expected everything to cost, so that's heartening. But the biggest expense will probably be me buying MY ticket. I'm going to plan it so that I go back to Michigan for a visit around the time her 6 months is up and she can finally fly, so that I can take her back with me in the cabin instead of having her come on her own in the cargo hold (which I hear nothing but horror stories about, and refuse to do).
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
Lilith

I'm a trilingual- dog!		 
 
Barked: Fri Mar 4, '11 9:26am PST 
Your ticket might be expensive.. laugh out loud But flying a dog with you is way way cheaper than flying a dog by her/himself. On United leaving from the US it was $89 one way all the way to JP.. shock

Edited by author Fri Mar 4, '11 9:26am PST

[notify]