One of the complications of living overseas has been traveling for long flights with our miniature poodle and we are grateful Brady is small enough to ride in the passenger cabin with us. That certainly gives us peace of mind. However, I have friends with bigger dogs who traveled without problems in the climate-controlled cabins in the cargo area. Either way, it can be a stressful experience, so taking the time to plan is well worth it.
Traveling in Cargo
When you’re flying with a diabetic dog, there’s more to consider than just booking your ticket. If you plan to have your pet ride in the cargo area, you must give the airline advance notice. Many have specific rules for caring for pets with medical conditions and diabetes is often on the list. Look for a climate-controlled cargo option. You may be able to add a monitoring device in the crate to give you some extra peace of mind. Make sure you feed and medicate carefully around flight times to keep things steady. Finally, have their feeding instructions attached to their crate with any special instructions about their diabetic needs.
Read the Airline Pet Policy
Whether your dog is diabetic or not, make sure you fully understand the rules and restrictions regarding traveling with your dog before buying your ticket. Make sure you read the entire pet policy, not just the parts you believe pertain to you. Call and talk to someone at the airline if you are unclear about anything.
I speak to you from painful experience on this one. I booked tickets that I could not use because I was not as diligent as I should have been…I didn’t read one sentence all the way at the bottom…past several long sections full of information about dogs traveling in cargo, which did not apply to me. (You can hear how defensive and bitter I still feel about this…lol) At the very end, there was one sentence forbidding pets of any kind on flights over the Pacific Ocean. When I tried to make the extra payment and the arrangements for Brady to ride in the cabin with us, the agent pointed out the information I missed. The airline was cold and unforgiving. No one would listen to me. I didn’t read it carefully enough, so I was stuck with two tickets I could not use. No travel credit…just the opportunity to rebook those exact tickets at another time within one year of the date I booked them which I could not do. I could do it two weeks later…but no, they could not extend the credit for the extra two weeks so that I could use the tickets. It would not have cost them a thing to let me use those tickets for my trip home the next summer, just two weeks past the deadline, but they would not do it.
So, believe me when I tell you…extra vigilance on this point is well worth it.
Bring Supporting Documents
It is also important to have the right paperwork. According to the American Kennel Club, dogs do not need a recent medical certificate for domestic flights. That said, you should keep medical records, a prescription for insulin, and a vet’s diagnosis with you. These can clarify any questions airport staff might have about the needles or other diabetic paraphernalia you are carrying. Being prepared means fewer hassles.
There are extra documents when you travel internationally with a dog. They usually require a medical certificate issued 10 days before traveling and documentation of current rabies vaccination at a minimum. There is a more extensive blood test required for entry into the EU. It is best to check directly with the airports and consulates of the countries where you will bring your dog. It can seem like a lot, but start your research early and find help if you need it.
For our move to Thailand, I hired a woman in Thailand to prepare everything necessary on that end to bring Brady into the country. She helped me navigate the process and did a great job. Our documents were in order and we got through it all without complications.
Adjust Schedules for Travel
Adjusting insulin timings for time zones can feel like solving a puzzle. Get your vet involved early on, and plan those time shifts together. You want to be all set before takeoff.
This was a major undertaking for our trip from Western, NC to Bangkok, Thailand. When we bought our second set of tickets, we decided to fly east and stop in Europe, rather than going West. That way we could break the trip up more and not have to feed Brady in the air. We planned a long layover in Germany so that was our first target for adjusting his feeding and insulin schedule. After we figured out what time it would be in North Carolina when we were in Germany, we moved his schedule so that he would be ready to eat then. We planned enough time on our layover that we had time to go through security and take him outside to eat and walk.
The vet said that by moving his feeding time with the accompanying insulin injection by 30 min each day we could get him on the schedule we needed to make the timing work out on our trip around the world. I made a schedule that we followed for the weeks leading up to our flight. It meant a few nights of getting up in the middle of the night and remembering to feed him in the middle of the day, but we stuck to it and our plan worked.
When we arrived in Bangkok, I made another schedule and we gradually moved his feeding time to match our mornings and evenings here. He made the trip in great shape and arrived healthy and happy at our home in Thailand.
Your transition may not be as dramatic, but making a plan to gradually move your dog to the right schedule for your destination is the best way to avoid any complications once you arrive.
Traveling with Insulin
Insulin is sensitive to temperature changes, so bring a cooler bag with ice packs. Keeping insulin at the right temperature is important because it loses effectiveness when exposed to extreme temperatures on either end of the scale. You could give your dog their shot, but it won’t work, and it might take a few days to figure out the problem. It’s good to be vigilant for a few days after traveling with insulin for signs of high blood sugar. Get a new bottle as your first remedy if you see signs that your dog’s blood sugar is not being properly controlled.
It’s not a bad idea to travel with an extra bottle of insulin just in case…in case you drop the bottle and it breaks…in case that bottle gets too warm or too cold and loses effectiveness. Insulin can be hard to find, so having an extra bottle on hand can save you some hassle.
Help Your Dog Relax
We give Brady 25mg of Trazodone. It doesn’t knock him out, but it keeps him calm. The dosage depends on your dog. There are herbal options as well. Be sure to talk to your vet before giving your dog any kind of medication.
Extra Considerations
Be prepared to do regular glucose checks during the journey to help you stay on top of things. We bring Brady’s testing kit and test him if we see anything concerning. The main goal is to keep him comfortable and safe. I know I don’t enjoy having my finger pricked. We figure the trip is already stressful and uncomfortable for him. We don’t want to prick his ear every two hours. However, we have the test kit with us and watch him carefully. Any signs of high, or low blood sugar, then we test and adjust as needed. Have snacks and a good source of quick glucose, like honey or Karo syrup with you for low blood sugar emergencies.
If you have a layover, scope out possible pet relief areas, if they exist at the airports you will be visiting. Have a plan for how your dog can relieve themselves if you don’t have a way or time to get outside. We bring puppy pee pads in case Brady needs to go on the plane (never happened), or in case there is no place for him to go in the airport. When we arrived in Bangkok we had to take him to a special area to verify his documents before he could go outside. He couldn’t hold it after a 10-hour flight, so the pads came in handy then.
Conclusion
Flying with a dog, especially one with diabetes, requires extra planning and caution, but it can be done. Start early. Pay attention to details in policies and paperwork. Ask for help if you need it. You’ve got this.
Have you done any airline travel with your dog? How did it go? Do you have any tips you could share? We are in this together.