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Question

"As I am moving house, my four-year-old chihuahua Rosie needs to fly on a plane to Queensland. She is normally a nervous dog so I'm worried that she might need a sedative. What should I do?"
— Dianne

Answer

While a lot of people seem to have a fear of flying, this seems to be well and truly dwarfed by the level of concern we have for our pets getting on a plane. Their time aboard the big metal bird seems so totally out of our control that it's very natural to be worried. But things in canine class aren't as bad as we often make them out to be. Their cabin is air conditioned, pressurised and does have some light. For that reason, I often find that owners are surprised at how well their pets handle the trip. But the turbulence, noise and confinement can still be too much for some animals that will need some sedation to ensure they do enjoy their flight.

There is a way to predict how they will handle it before they hit 40,000 feet. Simply load your dog into its travel crate at night and place it in the back of a friend's car that your dog would be unfamiliar with. Being night-time, there should be no way of your dog knowing where it is or where it's going. Add to that the engine noise, some cornering and some speed bumps and you have a pretty close experience to that of flying. If your dog doesn't even whimper, then you have no worries. But if Rosie leaves your ears ringing with her reaction then I would recommend a mild sedative available from your vet.

Good luck!