Medicating a dog for long distance travel??

[Bananas pal]

I hear the best way to travel by plane with a dog INSIDE the cabin, under the seat, is to not medicate... but why is this? I'm "in" for a 4 hour plane ride, and wouldn't it be easier to just hve my dog sleepy? This is his first plane trip.

Also, after we disembark, we have a 3 hour drive ahead of us. My dog is
okay in the car for about 30 minutes, then he gets agitated and paces...doesn't vomit thankfully.

The vet prescribed him acepromazine for the plane and says it will affect him for about 12 hours--til we arrive at our destination. Has anyone used this?

How does it affect your dog? Does it just make them mellow and sleepy?

Another friend used dramamine. What's the benefit of dramamine over acepromazine?

Thanks!

[Julie B.]

Hi Bananas,


Acepromazine is an effective sedative. Some of the downsides to its use are that it doesn't provide any anti-anxiety effects, it can cause hypotension (decreased blood pressure) and it has a very long duration (can be > 10 hours). It is contraindicated in dogs with a history of seizures.

I have never used Dramamine or seen it used for dogs. Benedryl (diphenhydramine) is another over-the-counter sedative that is often used.

Please be careful with your dosing and use the lowest dose to achieve the desired effect. As always, please consult with your veterinarian who is familiar with your dog's medical history. Good luck!

[Traci]

Assuming you've checked with your airline regulations?

For lengthy travels, I would suggest the ace, but every dog is different, not every dog will react the same. Only your vet knows your dog better, so talk to him in greater detail about your dog's disposition, tendencies, weight of course, etc.

I doubt dramamine would be the drug of choice, since it is usually used for nausea/carsickness, etc. Ace gives a slight tranquilizing effect, and if your dog has never flown, you can't predict how he may act/behave, so heed your vet's advice and proceed as he suggests.

[Bananas pal]

I gave my dog a "test run" today -- followed vet directions of trying 1 pill, but I was nervous so gave 3/4 of a pill to be conservative. After 90 minutes, no noticeable difference, so I gave the other 1/4 of the pill. My little buddy was a bit unsteady on his feet about a half an hour later and he seemed more calm when the mailman came with the mail (didn't seem to want to eat him quite as badly!LOL), and he seemed more relaxed the rest of the day/evening. Thanks for the helpful posts! I often wonder about all the folks who read posts, but never respond, so it's nice to have TWO folks write back!

[JMM]

I never sedate my dogs to fly under the seat. Mikey gets nervous on take off, but as soon as we're up, the dogs go right to sleep. We've flown from D.C. to California and he slept. I'm sure with the Ace to take the edge off, he'll be just fine for the plane. Get him use to the travel bag ahead of time, though.

[bananas pal]

THanks for the info, JMM. My fella is used to the travel bag, but has only been inside it for a bit over an hour, and the travel time on the airplane is 4 hrs.