Animals are becoming more and more humans, with the pet travel rate by increasing by 19 percent in the last decade, according to A 2023 study. Meanwhile, in the USA, two million commercial flights of the Domestic Animals Board every year.
But how sure is the air trip for our pets? The veterinarians say that although there is no flight aspect that is necessarily more dangerous or harmful than another, it depends on how prepared the pet owners are, and the animal itself.
Are planes for pets safe?
Airplanes may not be an atmosphere to which your dog or typical cat is accustomed, but that does not necessarily mean that flying will make your bodies go crazy.
“You have also been in airplanes. It is something that you are in a bit of tight rooms, but your body really does not work in a different way, “says Veterinary Elizabeth Rozanski, who also teaches at the School of Veterinary Medicine of Cummings at the University of Tufts.
And like humans, changes in altitude, air pressure and temperature associated with flight can also be recorded in pets such as discomfort. From the pressure of the ear and the breast to dehydration due to dry circulating air, these physiological changes harmful to the health of pets are rarely.
The difference, says Kristin Zersen, veterinarian and emergency assistant professor of small animals and critical care at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the State University of Colorado, is that his pet does not logically know why they feel that way.
“I think of our pets as babies. We cannot communicate with them that there will be pressure on their ears and their ears will explode and that is fine, so it can be quite stressful, “says Zersen.
Read more: Pets also have seasonal allergies, such as itching legs and crying eyes
Growing levels
Particularly for animals that are not accustomed to travel in long distance air, these new unprecedented sensations can trigger stress. Even before taking off, the mere experience of an airport full of people, strong and smelly can quickly overwhelm a pet that had never been exposed to so much activity before.
Studies In several animals They have also found that their stress levels increase during air transport, especially during planning and de -plating phases, for example. A study He tracked the physiological responses of air trips in 24 Beagles and found that the greatest increases in their heart frequencies occurred when loading and downloading.
“Our pets are very oriented to the routine and [travel is] A great interruption in its routine, ”says Lori Teller, veterinarian and clinical professor at the University of Texas A&M.
Compound Sangrams and Signs
While in his kennel, a dog can panting more, lick your lips more frequently or freeze, which resembles a statue.
“It is really important to meet your pet and know what normal behavior is for your pets,” says Teller.
The researchers who surveyed the owners of dogs in their travel experiences found that, although less dogs showed signs of stress after the flight, 70.1 percent of the owners’ dogs showed at least one sign of stress in delivery and 72.4 percent did so during the trip itself.
Stress can be aggravatedwhere it can grow in even greater stress responses. If natural behavioral responses to stressful triggers are limited by, for example, the confined space of a kennel, which in turn could trigger increases in heart rate, blood pressure and breathing.
In Teller’s experience, he says, it is rare for her to see pets experiencing long -term effects after the trip. Some animals may be more flexible than usual or lose some appetite, but most, on the other hand, recover in a few days as they fit their new environments and routines.
Read more: Conversation buttons tries to break the mascot language barrier
The most vulnerable pets
While most pets fortunately can handle flights, there are certain races of dogs and cats that are far away more vulnerable to the rigor of travel. Brachicephanic races in particular, or breeds with faces with spots such as pugs or Persian cats, are much more susceptible to respiratory difficulties and overheating during transport.
“Those animals, with much, are the highest risk of dying during the trip by plane,” says Zersen. “That is because they have abnormal airways. When they stress, they begin to gasp. Their airways swell and die because their airways close. ”
The additional precautions that owners can take if they must fly with those races, Zersen suggests, are talking to their suppliers about possible anxiety medications. Even bringing an ice package inside its kennel could help keep any fresh pet, especially during the summer months.
Older animals with chronic health conditions such as heart disease or diabetes can also find their exacerbated or worsened conditions by plane walks, especially as oxygen levels change with altitude.
“I never want to tell someone who does not fly to his dog, but I want to tell them that they really think carefully about it,” says Rozanski.
Make traveling easy for pets
However, before stepping on the airport, one of the best ways to ensure that trips are without problems for their pets is to prepare them, very anticipated. Aclimating pets to travel carriers where they will remain is incredibly useful to reduce stressful triggers associated with confined spaces and moving locations.
Keeping the kennel open, perhaps with some attractive treats inside, Zersen suggests, and that their pet spends more and more time in it will allow them to see it as a safe place, even when they change the environments.
In addition, even taking your pet for a joy in the car can get used to movement owners and track on whether they will need additional intervention for disease or anxiety, which could be provided through medications.
Sedation is an option, but veterinarians like Rozanski, Teller and Zersen try to avoid it if they can. If the animal has a history of anxiety due to separation or incessant nervousness even with these other interventions, any case of sedatives must be tested before the trip so that both the owner and the pet can get used to the dose and the appropriate effects.
“For the most part, it’s going well, and I’m very happy that people take the places of their dogs,” says Rozanski. “It is something you should think about and make sure you are really ready to go and have everything, before jumping to a plane.”
Article Sources
Our writers in Discovermagazine.com Use studies reviewed by pairs and high quality sources for our articles, and our editors review to obtain scientific precision and editorial standards. Check the sources used below for this article:
Katie Liu is a scientific journalist who covers a variety of topics for Discover, ranging from space to human health and archeology, among others. His interest in scientific writing began during his time at Northwestern University, from where he graduated in 2024.
#airplanes #safe #dogs #cats #pet #trips
