Sedate pets while air travel?

Question

Are animals sedated when they travel in the cargo hold of an air plane? If not, they should!

Tons of people fear flying. What do you think dogs think when they're in the dark and all of the sudden the air pressure changes and they the terrifyingly strange sensations of take-off?

And landing has to be awful because the little things on the wings rise up to slow the plane and there is this scary loud noise... We really should sedate the animals!

The end :)

I was just on the British Airways site, and they said nothing about sedating animals that travel with them. They were talking about all of these regulations to make sure the pet is comfortable... which led me to believe that they are totally conscious...

Exactly, they are afraid of the unknown (like the weird sensations and scary noises). And you'd better believe that if the animal knew it was up 30,000 feet in the air, it would totally fear falling out of the sky! From an animal's point of view, that's only common sense.

Answer 1

This isn't my area of expertise but I'll just add that I used to be a Flight Attendant. I asked this question and I was told a few times that sedating is no longer recommended. The animal wakes up and panics, totally at a loss as to what happened. They do better going through the whole experience, one step at a time. They see you saying goodbye, etc.

I would also deduct that like people, animal's ears adjust better when awake than asleep.

While they're not happy being transported, once they're with their owners again, they can put the experience behind them.

I transported a bird with me in the cabin. He was already 20 years old at the time and did great. I flew 10 1/2 hours and that was followed by a 5 hour car ride (with a baby too). Obviously, drugs were never considered in his case.

I was glad I could keep him with me but think if something as small and delicate (and old!) as my cockatiel could do such a long trip, a dog in good health should be fine.

The vet's advice was invaluable. Talk to yours'. He died 5 years later of natural causes at age 25.

Answer 2

I'm a veterinary technician and my husband is a veterinarian; moreover, we have three dogs, and all of them are terrible travellers. Fortunately, we've never had occassion to fly, but I've experienced lots of owners who've shared your concerns. They're very valid, and I'm glad I found your question. Sedatives like Acepromazine can have extremely varied effects in dogs (the dosage range is very wide because of this; some dogs achieve satisfactory sedation on the low end, others the high end). .25 mg is a good dosage for a 63 pound dog. It's a very safe sedative, and has a nice added effect - it's an anti-emetic, meaning it suppresses vomiting. This is particularly helpful for dogs who might experience vomited associated with motion sickness or stress. We've given this drug to a cat of ours that suffers from vertigo; it was a big help. It's the best drug for travel, because it works longer than some other commonly perscribed sedatives (for example, valium - only 2-3 hours of good sedation). My only advice would be to try a test run with your dog prior to your flight. Dose her with her recommended amount, and take her for a car ride (this will as closely simulate your trip as possible). If it doesn't touch her, give your vet a ring and see what her maximum dose is; like I said, it's very safe, and then you'll know what amount NOT to exceed in trying to obtain your desired effect. It'll also give you an idea of how long the sedation will last and how she'll come out of it. This should make you feel better about the sedation overall. I don't blame you for your concern; even though we've prescribed this drug hundreds of times for air travel, I'd still wring my hands the entire flight, because, well, that's what loving and caring owners do. Best of luck to you and your girlie; this drug is the best option, and very effective. Have a wonderful holiday! As a side note, I just read the above postings; I'm seriously doubtful of the qualifications of the people telling you dogs suffocate and injure themselves. Does it happen? Sure it does. But NO ONE has any business questioning your "doggie parenting" because you want your dog with you. If she panicks when you're around, how are days without you better than a few hours in a plane? Do what YOU think is right; I'm just here to tell you about the drugs! :)

Answer 3

From Jim
animals sedated
some are just give in something to relax then
it could make them sleep
cargo hold loud noise just want you hear
air pressure the some as the people in side have
THE BIGEST THING IS THAT THAY HAVE WATER
THE BEST THING I HAVE SEE IS SOME ONE FROZE THE
WATER FIRST
hope this will help you
I put a Group on yahoo call
Your ComeFlywithMeTravel group at Yahoo! Groups is good to go.

Here are the details on ComeFlywithMeTravel:
Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ComeFlywithMeTravel

Answer 4

Well, there's no doubt that they might be scared. You can get sedatives for your pet from the vet. They are not automatically sedated though. Airlines are not responsible for that. It would be like a stranger giving your kids medicines!
Unlike people, they are not afraid of the plane falling out of the sky. They don't have the same types of fears. They are afraid of the unknown. People are scared because they've heard stories!

Answer 5

Animals can be sedated, I know a few people who flew with their pets and their veterinarian gave them a sedative for the trip.

I personally would rather drive than fly with a pet, I have no idea how my dog would react on a flight, but he's awesome on a road trip. I hope I'm never in a spot where I'd have to fly my pet with me.

Answer 6

The problem with sedatives is that it is not know exactly how much should be given to a pet . Different breeds, different sizes etc. Also the increased altitude can make the effects of the tranquelizer worse though. Many Animals die in flight because of this.

Its a hard decision to make.

Answer 7

They are.