Holiday with 4-leggend friends

What measures should you take to plan a top holiday with your pet?

In this time period of greater concern and attention depending on health pandemic provoked by Covid-19, it is important to plan and organize your holidays with 4-legged friends in the best way possible, to avoid unpleasant situations during your stay that may disturb your deserved relaxation.

Make the most of your stay

The first aspect to check about in detail is the preventive safety protocols adopted by the facility where you are staying for your holidays. There are many hotels equipped and happy to accommodate your pet. If, on the other hand, a private facility was selected, it is advisable to assess whether the space actually available to your pet is actually suitable for your needs for a peaceful coexistence. Not to be forgotten before leaving: the vaccination booklet and also the passport if you travel abroad. It is very important to check that there are no sanitary restrictions on the movement of animals in the destination location.

Stop by the veterinarian

Before leaving, it is highly recommended to have your pet periodically checked by your veterinarian for a general check-up. It is essential to communicate the destination of the holiday, so that the prophylaxis to be implemented is targeted in relation to the environment which the animal will actually come into contact with. The visit to the veterinary surgeon is also essential to implement the essential parasitic protection especially during the summer period. Before leaving, in fact, it is advisable to carry out the antiparasitic prophylaxis with a test for Filariasis and Leishmaniasis, a treatment against fleas and ticks and a rapid dermatological check-up.

By the sea

In case plentiful of refreshing baths and long walks on the beach are forecast, it is good to use water-resistant and repellent pesticide products, preferring natural products which can be easily applied several times during the holiday to maintain their high and constant effectiveness.

In the mountains

During long walks in the woods or in the meadows, the dog can be exposed to parasites whose eggs are contained in the faeces of wild animals or are hidden in the vegetation waiting to come into contact with new animals. For this reason, it is essential to implement the antiparasitic prevention and to carry out the parasitological examination of the faeces upon return from the holidays.

Attention to personal hygiene

Even during holidays, it is important to maintain the best hygiene standards to keep the environment sanitized and the dog always clean. For this reason, it is good to remember to bring shampoos and sanitizers from home. In addition, to avoid redness it is also important to apply the sunscreen on the dog glabrous skin or in areas where the hair is white or less thick.

Constantly checking and keeping the ear canal clean using specific products for the ears is extremely helpful to prevent infections. Also check any possible contact with foreign bodies, such as spikes in the fields, which could lead to consistent damage to your dog. For cleaning the eyes, however, it is better to use delicate products based on chamomile to prevent possible irritation or redness. At the end of the day, it is always recommended to wash your dog with fresh water in combination with specific cleaning products based on the characteristics of the skin and coat.

At the table on holiday

If your dog is already used to feeding on ready-made industrial products, simply take them with you on holiday or check the availability of specialised shops in the place of destination in order to buy food directly on site. If, on the other hand, your pet is accustomed to home-made foods that you prepare at home, to better ease the food transition, it is better to start feeding the dog with industrial pet food at least 2 weeks before leaving so to try the new tastes and textures, while allowing its digestive system to adapt. For this reason, Gheda pet food offers healthy foods of the linea Unica Natura, highly appetizing and rich in holistic well-being, supporting the rapid dog adaptation while driving an easy transition between one taste and the other thanks to their very high digestibility (more information).

Before or during the trip, it is not recommended to feed the dog so that it does not have a full belly while moving in the car. It is very important to make sure that the animal drinks the day before and during breaks to keep its hydration high. In fact, non-sweating dogs can eliminate excess heat only through breathing in the form of water steam. In the event that the trip is very long, and it is not possible to avoid feeding the dog, it is important to avoid very fatty foods that would take longer to be digested and offer reduced portions on several occasions to not overload the animal digestive system.

In the event that your dog suffers from car sickness, do not forget to ask your veterinarian for advice, for a suggestion of the most suitable medication for the management of a similar condition.

With these simple and practical rules to carry in your suitcase your holiday will certainly be a success!!