When traveling in your car with your dog, restrain him with a safety harness and seat belt, or confine him to a properly secured crate. Also, avoid letting your dog sit on your lap or drive with his head out the window.
Most of us enjoy traveling with our dogs. And in most cases, this entails transporting them in our car, truck, or SUV. Yet, poor driving habits can turn a simple journey into a trip that changes your life. Both canine and human passengers must adhere to good driving safety. Dogs injured in cars due to poor safety precautions are a common occurrence among emergency veterinarians. This applies to situations where passengers are not properly restrained, such as sitting on the driver’s lap or sticking their heads out the window.
It is really alluring to drive with your small dog on your lap. They are adorable and enjoy cuddling. And what possible harm might your six-pound Maltese or Chihuahua cause by riding in your lap?
Your airbag is likely to deploy if you are in an accident. The airbag is designed to keep you safe in a collision. As the airbag inflates, if your small dog is sitting on your lap, the force of the airbag could seriously hurt it. Little dogs hit by an airbag frequently sustain fractures and spinal cord trauma that causes paralysis.
In a car accident, unrestrained dogs can potentially become projectiles. Being catapulted into the windshield and suffering a head injury is typical. Little dogs being catapulted out of the driver’s side window during an accident is another frequent occurrence seen by emergency vets. This occurs when the tiny dog is seated in the driver’s lap with their paws on the door and the driver’s window is down. In the event of an accident, the small dog may fly out the window and strike the pavement below, landing on its head. Traumatic brain injury or sudden deaths are frequent outcomes of this kind of injury.
The best way to transport a dog safely in a car is in a secured travel container made specifically for use in cars or airplanes, or harnessed into a dog car safety belt or harness. Tiny dogs can travel in a car seat made for dogs as long as they are restrained with a safety harness.
Big dogs frequently ride in the rear seat, away from air bags, but they still run the risk of getting hurt if a window is left open. As a result of flying objects, dogs who ride with their heads out the window are more likely to sustain eye and/or ear problems. Unrestrained dogs jumping out the window of a moving car are another frequent injury. When they fall on the pavement, these canines could break a limb. Also, owners have been known to mistakenly run their own dogs over after the animal jumped out the back window, according to emergency vets!
When the windows are rolled down in your automobile, installing a dog window guard or screen on each rear window can assist safeguard your dog. There are wire mesh panels made of welded steel that are specifically manufactured to fit your car’s rear windows. There are available screens made of polyester mesh cloth. When installed, each of these screens and panels enables regular window functioning in your car.
Accidents can occur when we least anticipate them. Don’t allow poor driving practices disrupt your outing!
You can always contact us about our Posh Dog Knee Brace or any other supplements for you dog by our contact page or visit our Facebook Page as well.
