Now whenever we drive to the park, he loves to sit in my lap. That is fine now since he is only 10 pounds. Sometimes he gets in the way and I have to keep him in the other seat.
Welcome to the board
.
You have raised two really important, health and safety-related issues here. They are of real risk to your obviously much loved cavalier.
I know you would never wish to put him at risk but he is truly at risk in ways many of us don;t think about but I'll explain why as I know you want Dutch with you for as long as possible!
First off: having a dog on a lap is a real danger -- to you, to your cavalier, and to others on the road (think in terms of a child being there!). It may well also be illegal as it is in many states. The problems are the same as holding a baby/toddler in your lap while driving.
First, if your airbag deploys your dog will be dead -- just as with small children, dogs should never be on the front seat, setting aside all other concerns. A dog can be crushed or decapaitated if the airbag went off, as has happened to babies and toddlers. A small cavalier would never survive the force of an airbag impact.
Also if a dog is on a lap the driver is unable to focus entirely on the road. If the dog moves around or climbs under to your feet your car could jam in acceleration or braking mode. I know of instances where both these things have happened, causing serious injury to the driver but obviously someone could be killed in a collision, including you. Also, if you have to brake suddenly (even at low speeds!), physics laws mean your dog will slam into the dash at crushing speeds or become airborne at same. A 10 lb dog in a collision at 35mph is thrown forward with hundreds of pounds of force! This is enough to decapitate you or passengers, or turn them into a vegetable on a head impact. Your dog will easily break its neck.
Also if you are in a collision or accident and the dog is loose it will likely run, with all the horrible possibilities after -- getting hit by other cars or running away being most likely. Also most emergency services in the US are trained NOT to go near a dog in a car accident unless safely crated! Which means an injured dog may end up left in the car in pain, instead of getting help.
The safest place to carry a dog is in a hard plastic crate that is belted into the back seat, or use a proper restraint harness in the back seat. There are lots of threads here on this and recommended products too that will keep you and your dog safe. :thmsbup:
There's good info on travelling by car with dogs here:
http://dogtime.com/driving-with-dog.html
Part of which:
Use a safety harness, barrier, or crate to restrain your dog. If you use a crate, secure it so it doesn't slide around the car.
Some people think this is a bit obsessive, but think about what happens if you brake suddenly or crash. A restraint will:
Protect your dog, by keeping him from hitting the windshield or flying out of the car
Protect you and your passengers from being hit by a flying dog
Prevent the pile-up that could ensue if your dog flies out of the car and on to the road
At the very least, keep dogs out of the front seat, and definitely out of your lap. Not only can they distract you and cause an accident, small pups can be killed by a deployed air bag.
Also:
http://www.kdbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=10022877
On tranquilizers -- most vets would never even consider administering tranquilisers to healthy flying animals. I have flown several times with my dogs, including transatlantic, and a crate trained dog is comfortable and quiet in transport. Tranquilisers are always a high risk and are only used in the most exceptional circumstances (eg a very ill and injured dog). In particular, tranquilizers are specifically warned against for flying for short-nosed breeds such as cavaliers by the American Vet Medical Association, and every good vet should know this.
USE OF TRANQUILIZERS
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, in most cases, dogs should not be given sedatives or tranquilizers prior to flying. An animal's natural ability to balance and maintain equilibrium is altered under sedation, which can be dangerous when the kennel is moved.
Whether your dog is flying in the cabin or as a checked pet, he will be exposed to increased altitude pressures. This can create respiratory and cardiovascular problems for dogs which are sedated or tranquilized. Snub-nosed dogs (American Staffordshire Terriers, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Brussels Griffins, Bull Terriers, English/French Bulldogs, English Toy Spaniels, Japanese Chins, King Charles Spaniels, Lhasa Apsos, Pekineses, Pugs, Shar-Peis and Shih Tzus) are especially affected.
While sedation is generally not advised, the decision on whether or not to prescribe a tranquilizer for your pet should be made by your veterinarian. If your veterinarian decides that tranquilizers are medically necessary, the name of the drug, the dosage, and how the drug was administered should be indicated on the dog's carrier.
http://www.bringfido.com/travel/us_regulations/
I know many people don't realise they are putting their loved pet at risk as a tranquilizer might seem calming -- but is truly, not the choice to make. I'd change vets if this was a vet who recommended using a tranquilizer, because a vet should be the first person to warn against doing this and should be well aware that we could lose our pets or seriously injure them by using a tranquilizer.
