When to feed my large dog on an 8-hour flight to avoid issues?

Don't feed her after midnight the night before you travel. Take up the water that morning and walk her just before you go to the airport and before you board or load her (if possible). When you get to your destination, wait an hour or two then feed and water half what you normally offer. Feed the remainder after an hour if there is no vomiting. This can happen with travel.

I would start by checking with the airline to see what their rules are. I'm not sure food is allowed in cargo. If he'll be in the cabin, stick with his regular food and schedule. I would be reluctant to fly a 4 month old more than 5-6 hours without food/water, and even that is pushing it.

I would withhold food at least 8 hours before the flight, to make sure stomach is completely empty. It is a good idea to feed him with a bland diet a couple of days before flight (boiled white fish or chicken and rice would be good). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

In a puppy this age, I would not be comfortable completely skipping a scheduled meal. I would suggest giving her a smaller-than-normal breakfast that morning, and then perhaps a snack once you arrive at your destination.

Hello. It never hurts to do a small fast to help settle the stomach. 12 hours should be fine & then re-introduce food slowly, maybe 1/3 of the ration followed several hours later by another 1/3 & remainder in the evening. It might be easier to fast both dogs overnight, that way no one feels left out. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there! Yes, dogs, like humans, are mammals, so they do have that whole "rest and digest" phase when they're relaxed and sleeping. Feeding a night time meal a few hours before bed time is always best. This is also helpful because they will be less likely to have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. However, some dogs will benefit from a snack before bed time, as they do get an acid stomach if they go too long without eating. It all depends. I usually tell owners to feed their dogs their total daily calories, split into 2 servings or meals as close to 12 hours apart as they can. In addition, I recommend trying to make that last meal a few hours before bedtime as I mentioned above. If your dog has trouble with an acid stomach, you may want to add a snack, or give 1/3 of the evening meal before bed. You may notice some vomiting in the morning on an empty stomach if this occurs. I think it varies with all dogs, but the above is what I recommend. I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck to you and Wolfgang!

There is not a hard and fast rule for how long a pet should be without food. Some vets say as long as 24 hours. I generally recommend 6 to 12 hours. It may help also if you feed him a bland diet for the next 24 hours. Boiled white meat chicken and plain boiled white rice. If he continues to be sick, have him examined by the veterinarian.