Friday, August 23, 2013

What should I do if my dog freaks out while we are on an airplane?

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Heidi L


I'm taking a trip across the country with my Shih Tzu and my vet suggested not giving her sedatives. What can I do to keep my dog calm?


Answer
The best thing we have found with our Shih-Poo was to keep her favorite toy with her in her carrier and hold her on your lap while in flight. You can then put your hand in with her and that will help keep her calm. You can also safely give a dog Benadryl and that will keep them calm and tranquil with absolutely no harm. My sister has a 12 pound Havanese and she needs to give her Benadryl each time they fly. Use a small dose about half the doe for an infant.

Has anyone used the FAA approved Chicco Keyfit 30 carseat on an airplane?




E H


Did you have any problems? Do you have any tips? Do you need to use the base? Did you check the stroller?


Answer
No, I've never used it myself but I was a Flight Attendant for 13 years. I never saw any problems with any car seats in general, especially the infant ones. I never remembering offloading any car seat because it was too big and we saw some pretty big ones used onboard.

I fly a lot with my own children now. The oldest is 8 and we usually fly between Europe and California about twice a year, plus shorter trips inbetween. I've always brought a car seat and only one had problems with installing it (and that was a foreign airline).

By the way, congratulations on bringing the car seat onboard and using it. As F/A's we had to watch all those scary emergency videos and knew that a car seat was the only way to fly safely with a baby. When flying, I'd be careful to secure the coffee pots and then go in the aisles and see babies in laps... There is no alternative for a car seat. Double seatbelts you see on foreign airlines are banned by the FAA.

Normally, on most seats, you do not use the base for flying. Don't take my word on this-check your owner's manual!! If this is the case, which is probably is, take it out to the car and get comfortable with installing it like this. Don't do it for the first time on the aircraft with other passengers pushing by you, the baby crying, etc.

As far as the base is concerned, it's kind of bulky to bring onboard. You may want to check it but be careful and pack it well inside your bag surrounded by clothes and other soft items.

I'm also going to suggest you consider not taking the it along at all. Less convenient? Perhaps but the inconvenience of dragging the base along, especially if it's a fairly short trip and/or you wont be using it in the car much might offset it. Just weigh up your options and do what works best for your situation.

I assume this seat fits into a stroller, like a "travel system" or similar. If not, I suggest a stroller frame especially for infant seats. I flew this way and it worked fine.

For either situation, you take the stroller or frame up to the door of the aircraft and leave it there. You will have already been given a tag at check-in. Make sure it goes somewhere that it wont be squished when folding the stoller. Just some stroller tips;
-Remove all "extras", like cup holders, toys, even the sunshade, depending on the design. Either pack them or leave them at home.
-Attach the straps before leaving it.
-Bring a bungee cord and double secure it after folding it. This avoids damage if the stroller pops open en route.

Please don't every try to take a stroller onboard or even try. It's not necessary and just makes you unpopular taking up all that stowage area with a large bulky item you don't need inflight anyway When you travel with babies, you don't need enemies at the very start of the trip!

Lastly, please keep her in the seat for both take-off and landing. These are the most critical periods of the flight and it's important that she be safe in her seat. It's a myth that children need to suck on something during those times for their ears. It's helpful if she's awake at the top of descent, this is about 40 minutes to an hour before landing (touchdown). Take her to a doctor within a week of the flight and make sure her ears are healthy and infection-free. This is the best way to insure she wont be uncomfortable.

Here's information from an ENT;
http://www.entcda.com/AAOHNSF/earsandaltitude.htm

Read this to remind yourself of what a good parent you are bringing a car seat onboard (or to convince yourselves that the money for the seat was well-spent!)
http://www.jetwithkidsclub.com/lapchild.pdf

I wrote an article several years ago to "counter" a lot of the bad information on the subject out there. I'm not sponsered and I'm not selling anything. I grew up on airplanes myself, worked on them for 13 years and now have a lot of experience flying with my own three children, almost always alone;
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com

So pull out your owner's manual and get practicing with that seatbelt.

Have a safe flight!




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