Flying With Dogs

Dogs and airplane travel: A deadly mix?

Did you know pugs are at an increased risk when flying, compared with other dogs? Veterinarians have long been concerned about this fact, and now there's more evidence thanks to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). For five years, starting in May of 2005, DOT recorded all pet deaths during air travel. There were 122 dog deaths in that time period, and approximately half of them were "short-faced" breeds, like pugs and bulldogs. Brachycephalic is the word used for these kinds of dogs, which also include boxers, bullmastiffs, Pekingese and others. The defining characteristic is a skull that's broad and short. "These brachycephalic dogs tend to have abnormalities that cause them to have a constellation of respiratory issues," says Dr. Trisha Joyce, an emergency veterinarian at New York City Veterinary Specialists. "Many of them also tend to be excited, nervous dogs. So, anxiety-producing situations would cause them to pant more and become more anxious. This can drive temperatures up and cause them to hyperventilate." While 122 deaths may seem like a lot, the DOT calls it an "extremely small percentage" of the total number of dogs that traveled by air in that five-year span, but the DOT does not record the number of dogs that fly successfully. In fact, there are many brachycephalic dogs that did not make the list at all, such as chow chows, shih tzus and Boston terriers. "This number is hard to assemble because the airlines are not required to report it," says Susan Smith, president of PetTravel.com. "We have heard that it is somewhere around 2 to 3 million." Pet Travel is a repository of mostly free information that helps people travel with their pets. You can get lists of dog-friendly hotels, animal policies for different airlines, and even pet immigration information. "We started in the late 1990s with less than 2,000 pet-friendly hotels nationwide," says Smith. "Now we have over 36,000 pet-friendly hotels and services in our database." Very small dogs will be allowed to fly in the cabin with you, and Joyce recommends going that route if you can. Otherwise, she and Smith offer some tips to assure your dog has a safe flight: