Traveling with your pet is not only a great adventure, but also comes with a great responsibility. In this way, you not only want to make it fun and comfortable for your furry friend (dog or cat), but you also want to be well prepared for care and possible emergencies along the way. In this blog I therefore share an overview of essential and useful care supplies for on the road when you travel with your pet.

Pet first aid kit and care supplies for on the road
Anyone who has ever looked for certain care for their pet while on the road will soon come across a first aid kit. Depending on the brand and type of kit, these kits often consist of a number of standard products such as bandages and gauze, wound care wipes, disposable gloves, scissors, syringe and tick tweezers. It is advisable to purchase such a first aid kit or put it together yourself. Maybe you already have one for yourself, so add something that applies to your pet. In case of emergency you have everything at hand and conveniently in one bag. In these kits I include the following care products for dogs and/or cats:

Remedy against fleas, ticks and worms
Outside, your dog or cat has a greater chance of contracting fleas, ticks or worms. None of these insects or parasites are fun. It’s not only a disgusting idea that these creatures crawl over or into your pet, but they can also make your dog or cat very sick or trigger an allergic reaction. It’s therefore advisable to treat your pet against these unwanted guests. Fleas and worms occur all year round. It is therefore advisable to treat your pet against this preventively or regularly. After all, prevention is better than cure.

Ticks are not always found all year round. They only become active from about 7 degrees, which means that when you live in a colder climate you don’t always have to fear ticks. But if you travel to warmer countries, please be aware that the temperature might be also high enough in winter for ticks. Moreover, ticks are also dangerous to humans and it’s therefore a good idea to keep them out as much as possible. You can do this through adapted behavior and the use of (natural) remedies. Ticks mainly hide in bushes, tall grass and between dead leaves. You can therefore partly prevent tick bites by continuing to walk with your dog or cat on paths or in low grass as much as possible.

The most common worms in dogs and cats are roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms. Not all worms are equally inconvenient, but there are also worms that can make your pet very sick or even kill them. Think of lung and heartworm. Therefore, deworm your pet regularly and pay attention to which worms are being combated when choosing a worm treatment.

I use the following products to repel and kill fleas, ticks and worms:
The products mentioned do not necessarily have to be the best for your pet. I combine a number of natural products, because they repel fleas and ticks (with many chemical products, a tick or flea must first bite your pet to kill them) and some pets do not respond well to pipettes or chewable tablets. If necessary, I supplement this with one chemical product (never combine chemical products!) and only use this when necessary. For example, if my pets suddenly have a lot of ticks, have contracted fleas or we are in an area with a lot of ticks. I only give the worm cure as a preventive measure. Worms are not always visible in the feces, for example, although they can make your pet very sick.

Against fleas and ticks (chemical products)

Stronghold plus (cat)
Stronghold Plus is only available for cats and through the vet. Stronghold is a pipette and works against fleas, ear mites, lice, ticks and various worms, including heartworm. So it’s a handy (almost) all-in-one pipette. I only give this to my cat during the tick season and only start it when he is traveling and goes outside. He stays indoors much more at home and I don’t think it’s necessary to give him a chemical treatment every month. Do you also want to use Stronghold? Then make sure you take Stronghold plus. Only this one is also effective against ticks.

Advantix (dog)
Stronghold Plus is not available for dogs and that is why I chose Advantix. This is also a pipette that you can give and works against fleas and ticks, among other things. However, I only give this remedy during the tick season and only if I notice that the other natural products I use do not work sufficiently. This is especially important after a mild winter and a summer where there is regular rain so that the air is not too dry. The number of ticks then increases enormously.

Against ticks and fleas (natural remedies)

Traumapet Coat Spray (dog and cat)
This coat spray is natural without chemicals and is therefore safe to use in addition to another (chemical or natural) product against fleas and ticks. The spray contains argan oil and thyme oil, which are known to be disliked by fleas and ticks. The great thing is that this Traumapet coat spray is safe to use for both dogs and cats and the scent repels fleas and ticks instead of them having to bite your pet first to die.

Garlic bonbon (dog and cat)
It is also known that fleas and ticks do not like garlic. You can therefore buy special garlic chocolates and feed them to your pet as a snack. This works well for some, not for some. This also depends on the type of pet (dog or cat), the breed and the associated coat, where you walk, etc. But it is a tasty snack, so in that respect it is definitely worth a try. A separate garlic bonbon is available for dogs and cats. Please note that large amounts of garlic are bad for your pet. Therefore, stick to the recommended dosage.

Buttermilk (dog and cat)
Giving your pet a little buttermilk a few times a week changes the acidity of the skin, making it unattractive to fleas and ticks. However, only give a small amount and pay close attention to how your pet reacts to the buttermilk. Some pets are lactose intolerant and can therefore react poorly to buttermilk, even though buttermilk contains much less lactose than other sour milk products such as yogurt.

Tickless (dog and cat)
You attach this device to your pet’s collar or harness, after which it emits ultrasonic sounds (after activation). We and our pets cannot hear these sounds at a certain frequency, but this does not apply to fleas and ticks. The sound disturbs the fleas and ticks, keeping them away. Experiences with Tickless also vary, but it can’t hurt and is therefore possibly worth a try. Moreover, the device lasts at least 6 months.

Tick ​​remover and flea comb
Both chemical and natural remedies never work 100%. Therefore, check your pet daily or after every walk outside, especially if you have been in nature a lot. Because the sooner you remove fleas and ticks, the smaller the chance that they will become a plague (in the case of fleas) or that they will make your pet sick with their bite. Use a tick remover and flea comb for this.

Against worms

Milbemax
Although Stronghold also works against roundworms, hookworms and heartworms, it does not work against all worms. I therefore deworm my cat, which is not outside all year round, with Milbemax once or twice a year. Because dogs walk outside several times a day and have a tendency to stick their noses in everything or even eat rubbish, I deworm my dog ​​preventively every three months with Milbemax.

Other care supplies for your pet

Eye and ear drops
I am not a veterinarian or expert, so if in doubt or if there is a clear infection, it is always advisable to seek the help of a veterinarian. But your pet’s eyes and ears can also be irritated for another and more innocent reason (and become infected if you don’t do anything about it). Think of a hair, grain of sand, strong wind or an allergic reaction that can cause irritation. That’s why I always have a set of eye drops and ear drops from Traumapet with me. These drops contain colloidal silver. This is a precious metal with an antibacterial effect without developing resistance, as is the case with antibiotics. That’s why I always have this with me to treat any irritations or early infections.

Honey ointment
I always have honey ointment with me for small wounds on the skin. This softens the skin, reduces itching and heals wounds faster.

Toothbrush with toothpaste
Both dogs and cats often suffer from dental problems such as tartar and inflamed gums. In some cases this can be prevented or reduced with the help of chewing snacks such as good chunks, carrots, chewing sticks (dog) or Matatabi sticks (cat). But it is still best to brush your pet’s teeth and have them checked regularly by the vet, for example during an annual visit when you also go for the annual vaccinations. This way you can combine it conveniently.

Brush/comb
Opinions about whether or not to brush your pet are very divided. I only brush when necessary. Because by brushing the coat you also stimulate hair production, which will only cause your pet to shed more. My cat has a thin, short coat and I therefore never brush it. My Siberian husky, on the other hand, I brush regularly to comb loose hairs, tangles and dirt from the coat, but I do not do this excessively to avoid unnecessary extra hair. If your pet also has a coat that needs to be combed. Don’t forget to bring a suitable brush or comb.

Pasport
Don’t forget to take your pet’s EU pet passport with you when traveling. This not only contains all the information about your pet, but also which vaccinations he/she has had and whether they are still valid. This is especially important in connection with rabies. A valid vaccination is mandatory if you want to cross the border, just like chipping your pet. If your pet has an allergy to something, write this down and keep it with the pet passport. This can be important information if you ever have to visit a vet abroad.

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