There are many things that can go wrong when you are on holiday. For instance, you might lose your documents and break a leg. The number of things that can end up going wrong might get longer, though.
What if you have just stopped looking for an Australian Shepherd for sale, made a purchase, and decided to bring your furry friend with you? What if it gets sick?
Fortunately, this article should help you figure out what you are supposed to do in such an unexpected situation. Here, you will find a list of helpful tips, ranging from monitoring your pet’s behavior to keeping it safe, hydrated, and comfortable. Check it out!
Monitor Your Pet’s Behavior
If you are not sure if your pet is sick, you should monitor its behavior for a few hours. There are quite a few symptoms that you should be on the lookout for if you want to be completely certain that it is sick. Here is a list!
Unusual Coughing
Your pet might start coughing if it has an upper respiratory tract infection. This kind of infection can be caused by both viruses and bacteria. Other symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection include sneezing, sniffling, gagging, sooty eyes, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
If your dog shows any of these symptoms, take it to a veterinary clinic. These symptoms can be linked to a number of different diseases, ranging from canine influenza and parainfluenza to canine distemper and kennel cough.
Drooling and Vomiting
If your dog starts drooling and vomiting, it might be a sign of a problem with its gastrointestinal system. For instance, it might have eaten something bad. Other symptoms of gastrointestinal issues system include diarrhea and flatulence.
Lethargy and Sleepiness
If your dog is lethargic, it might be dealing with a serious illness. Alterinatively, it might have been poisoned! In such a situation, you should take your pet to a veterinary clinic immediately.
Find the Nearest Veterinarian
This might seem like the most logical step to take. Unfortunately, it might not be easy to find the nearest veterinarian if you are traveling to a foreign country and do not know the local language. If you are particularly unlucky, there might be no veterinarian nearby.
What can you do in such a situation? Ideally, you should contact your pet’s insurance company and tell their representative about your situation. They should be able to tell you what you can do.
Many insurance companies have lists of local veterinarians. If your insurance company is one of such companies, they might be able to give you their contact details. Check their policy on sick animals and see whether it mentions such a scenario.
If your pet is not insured, using Google Maps is always a viable option. For instance, if you are traveling from Paris to London, just search for emergency veterinarians in London. You should be able to see at least a few veterinarians and their contact details.
Contact Your Pet’s Insurance Company
If your pet has an insurance policy, one of the first things that you should do when it falls ill in a foreign country is to get in touch with its insurance provider. Call the insurance provider and explain what your problem is.
It is important to note that your insurance provider might ask you for additional information regarding your pet’s medical history. Next, they might tell you to visit a particular veterinary clinic and cover the costs of the visit and your pet’s treatment.
Talk to Your Tour Operator
If you are on an organized tour, you should inform your tour operator about your pet’s condition. It is important that they know that your pet is sick, as they might be able to help you out. For instance, if you have booked a hotel room in a remote location, they might be able to talk to the locals and get a professional veterinarian to come and see your pet.
Unfortunately, you might end up having to cancel your tour. If your pet gets sick for a few days and there are many other people taking part in the tour, the tour operator will most likely proceed with what they had initially planned instead of waiting for your pet to recover.
Keep Your Pet Safe, Hydrated, and Comfortable
There are quite a few steps that you can take in order to keep your pet safe, hydrated, and comfortable if it falls ill during your holiday. Firstly, ensure that it has enough water and food.
If your pet is really ill, it might not feel like eating and drinking, but you should try giving it food and water either way. To make it easier, you can equip yourself with a pet travel bowl. They are easy to carry around and can really come in handy in such a situation.
Next, keep a few toys handy. That way, your pet will have something that will distract it from feeling sick for a short period of time. Lastly, you can take your pet’s temperature with a special thermometer.
This way, you will be able to tell whether it has a fever. If it does have a fever and its temperature just keeps on rising for several hours without showing any signs of going back down, take your pet to a veterinary clinic for immediate treatment.
In Conclusion
If your pet falls ill while you are on holiday, the worst thing that you can do is panic. Your pet depends on you and will not be able to take care of itself. Because of that, you will need to do your best to stay calm and get your pet the help it needs.
Ideally, you should prepare yourself for such a situation beforehand. That way, you will be able to ensure that your pet receives safe and swift treatment. Luckily, you have already read this article and have the information you need to handle such a difficult situation!