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VetTails · 26-01-2017, 18:28

Hi all!

I have a veterinary blog and am doing a series on travelling with pets. Want to include a boating section and would love some real life tips and tricks people are using. It can be for dogs, cats, birds, snakes... what ever you fancy and have had onboard!

I will later be doing a post about going to new countries with pets too so feel free to comment on that aspect as well.

Thanks all! Enjoy your Friday!!!

Sheridan
Vet Tails
- recent blog post - going for a car ride - about car travel with pets

Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

hariandro · 06-02-2017, 00:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by VetTails

Hi all!

I have a veterinary blog and am doing a series on travelling with pets. Want to include a boating section and would love some real life tips and tricks people are using. It can be for dogs, cats, birds, snakes... what ever you fancy and have had onboard!

I will later be doing a post about going to new countries with pets too so feel free to comment on that aspect as well.

Thanks all! Enjoy your Friday!!!

Sheridan
Vet Tails
- recent blog post - going for a car ride - about car travel with pets

Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Yes i saw your blog about pets on voyage before i planned for a journey but my cat was not allowed in viatnam ...Why they are doing like this???

VetTails · 06-02-2017, 00:41

What country where you trying to bring that cat from? It all depends on whether they are up to date with vaccines etc. and for example a lot of countries are banning import from Bali at the moment due to a rabies outbreak...
Sorry about your cat hope you managed to sort something out!
This website has some info but it is not very detailed; Vietnam Pet Passport - Current Dog and Cat Import Requirements

clownfishsydney · 06-02-2017, 02:25

Our dog Veto (chihuahua toy poodle cross) is small so relatively easy to manage.

Make sure you have a lifejacket (she loved it) for when crossing bars and going in dinghy.

We have a catamaran, we put safety doors across access to transoms so she cannot easily wander there when we do not want her to.

Take all your medicines etc (even when cruising in your own country, in Australia we can easily be days from a vet).

We took her for walks on the beach every morning and evening if possible. Trying to get her to wee and poo on the back deck was a problem, she generally chose to hold on for up to a day rather than go there, even though we gave her encouragement when she did go.

Watch her all the time, like you would a baby, when at anchor or sailing. So easy to fall overboard.

Check after been ashore and in bush for ticks etc.

Hope this helps, heading off again in a few months for six months of cruising Queensland.

**Lepke** · 07-02-2017, 02:47

A piece of sod on the deck will give a new dog the right idea of where to go. I've seen others use a sand box.

NornaBiron · 07-02-2017, 02:58

We have two rescue cats on board, found by the bins when only a few days old. As they were immediately brought aboard and hand reared we have had no problems with them adjusting. We rarely tie to a quay so they do not pine for the shore. We do not have life jackets or harnesses for them (they don't even wear collars) but we do have an eight inch high toe rail all around the boat which makes falling off less likely. The only time they go for a swim is when we are tied up and they go boat hopping and misjudge the distance home! They both swim well and can climb our stern ladder.

Puss and Fluff have travelled with us from Greece to Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt. They have documents from the EU pet passport scheme which show that all vaccinations are up to date and show the result of the rabies titre test. We have had no problems taking them to any of these countries.

They have had two stays in catteries, one of one month and one of six days. The six day stay was in Egypt, despite researching and visiting prior to leaving the cats there, they returned to us really quite sick and took several weeks and lots of vets visits to recover. The one month stay was researched even more thoroughly (in Greece) and was successful, although Puss did come home with some scabs from grass mite bites which cleared up very quickly.

Both cats hate the sound of flapping sails and know that when the engine starts they need to be down below, they spend a lot of time on our bed! Puss does appear to be a little seasick at times, her nose becomes white and she seeks cuddles from us if there is too much motion. Both cats will come into the cockpit and sit with us whilst we are sailing but will immediately go below deck if there is any action.

We have an enclosed litter tray which lives in the heads and we have made a hole in the bottom of the door so that they always have access to it. We use a large stainless steel dog bowl with a non slip foot for water to avoid spills. Their preferred food is dried but they do get wet food once a day as in the summer heat they can start to get a bit dehydrated if only dried is provided (despite there always being plenty of fresh drinking water available for them).

Puss and Fluff seem to be very happy cats, if a little 'needy', they are use to us being around constantly so get loads of attention and love. They have been with us for almost seven years now, couldn't imagine the liveaboard life without Puss and Fluff to talk to!

Terrapin · 04-03-2017, 15:29

We've had to learn to put the dog below when underway -- he doesn't like the sound of the engine, the flapping of sails or the motion. It's much easier on all of us if he just stays below with his favorite cushion and toy. I'll second the idea of a life jacket. All of our neighbors poked fun at our labradoodle in his bright green life jacket, but it sure makes it easier to pull him up out of the water by the handle, and it gives us peace of mind.

sailorfred · 05-03-2017, 16:28

I have been sailing with my English Springer Spaniel for 6.5 years and the best investment was the PupHead. I bought it and had my puppy use it on the land before I put it on the boat, but she peed on it the first time walking across it. It's great. Now if I'm offshore, she'll pee and do "the other" on it very easily....and when I'm at the dock (working) she still uses it. If I'm too slow in getting her off the boat, she'll head right to it and pee. It's amazing. All you have to do is rinse it every now and then...and move it around the deck so it's not covering the same place all the time. My dog is female, but they have a PupHead with a fire hydrant for male dogs!

rwidman · 06-03-2017, 07:51

1. If you get a new pet, take it to the boat as soon as possible. Get it used to being on the boat at the marina. Live with it on the boat on weekends or whenever you have time. Get it used to the boat being it's home or second home. If possible and practical, train it to do its business on the boat (we use puppy pads).

If the pet is comfortable being on the boat he/she will probably tolerate being underway, especially if the first few days are in calm conditions.

2. If you have a small pet, keep in mind that many people with larger dogs don't feel the need to comply with inconveniences such as leash laws. A pit bull went after our yorkie on an island beach one time. It could have ended badly as we would have been a few hours away from help. Some people are just natural jerks.

BTW: Our yorkie is on the leash unless she is in the enclosed cabin. We usually operate from the flybridge and she is on a leash there. She has a life jacket (and is on the leash) for dinghy trips.

VetTails · 26-03-2017, 17:43

Thanks everyone for the awesome tips and comments!

NevisDog · 26-05-2017, 12:32

Help!
Our 8 year old dog refuses to toilet on our newly acquired yacht. We've followed the usual advice, chunk of 'astroturf' (outdoor carpet) on the stern, dribbled human urine over it (as no dog urine available), given the usual 'go pee' and 'hurry up' commands that worked in the past. After FIVE DAYS without toileting (seems impossible) she began shivering and looking very, very uncomfortable but still nothing. In desperation we fed her a pint of milk, some porridge (works for me) and canola oil. The inevitable happened but to our shock/horror, instead of toileting aboard, she lept overboard and swam 250 yards to shore and toileted three times on the beach. Takes us half an hour to launch the dinghy, during which time she howled, wolflike, on the beach.
Too much information? She has now gone another three days without toileting, so this is kinda serious. I'm searching the net but this bitch is part dingo, working dog stock

, very strong-willed.

**JPA Cate** · 26-05-2017, 15:33

NevisDog,

Maybe, send VetTails a PM. This is a serious situation. The dog can really trash her kidneys. I wish you the very best possible outcome. This is a rough problem.

Ann

VetTails · 26-05-2017, 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by NevisDog

Help!

Too much information? She has now gone another three days without toileting, so this is kinda serious. I'm searching the net but this bitch is part dingo, working dog stock

, very strong-willed.

Hi mate!

So I'm going to go all Vet on you and ask a bunch of questions!

First when you say not toileting do you mean urinating and defecating or just defecating? Five days is an awful long time with out urinating, and as Ann said it could definitely lead to bladder and kidney problems.
Secondly how long have you been trying, if this is eight days in total then it might just be you need to persist with training. In the mean time you will have to take her to shore morning and night to avoid health issues.
Thirdly I would try doing some training on shore where she is comfortable, have the AstroTurf with you and when she goes put it under her/near her and then tell her she's a good girl. If she goes on it give her a treat. When she goes somewhere other then the turf don't punish her as you would be punishing normal behaviour, just ignore her.
She will learn it might just take time... also how old is she? And you say dingo cross? Cross what?

You are very welcome to PM me or look up Vet Tails on Facebook to send me messages and I can try help you as much as I can!

Sheridan