Having heart disease doesn’t mean the adventures have to stop! Many cardiac patients can still travel safely within the UK or abroad with a little forward planning and some careful considerations. To help, HeartVets has put together a guide for clinics, alongside a downloadable resource for clients (article 2), enabling a collaborative approach to ensuring pets can continue to enjoy trips away with their families.
If you have any case-specific travel questions, we’d be happy to help
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What are the main obstacles to travelling with a cardiac patient?
Often, the biggest challenges are not the travel itself. Common issues include:
- Hot weather
- Changes in routine
- Medication complications, including missed doses, running out of medication, or treatment plans that are not optimised before travel
- Lack of an emergency care plan
- Stress and excitement
The holiday countdown: THREE MONTHS TO GO! Is the heart ready?
While patients may be attending routine prescription checks, those that have not had echocardiography, ECG, or Holter ECG monitoring within the last six months may be progressing towards destabilisation without obvious clinical signs. Aside from patients currently being treated for congestive heart failure (CHF), this is particularly relevant for:
- Degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD)
- Patients previously classified as ACVIM stage B1 may have progressed to stage B2 and become eligible for treatment.
- Those already in ACVIM stage B2 may have developed significant left atrial enlargement, increasing the risk of CHF or atrial fibrillation. Identifying these changes before travel allows time for treatment optimisation and monitoring plans.
- Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
- Echocardiography and Holter monitoring remain important before travel, as some patients can develop significant ventricular arrhythmias despite appearing clinically well.
- Large-breed dogs with newly identified murmurs (even quiet ones) or no recent cardiac assessment should not automatically wait until after the holiday for investigation.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
- Cats previously assessed as low risk may have developed left atrial enlargement, increasing the risk of thrombus formation and aortic thromboembolism (ATE).
- Cats are masters of disguise, and the stress of travel can occasionally unmask previously compensated disease. Identifying progression before departure allows appropriate treatment and contingency planning.
- Arrhythmias
- The absence of collapse episodes does not necessarily indicate adequate arrhythmia control.
- Patients may continue to experience significant ventricular arrhythmias or loss of rate control without obvious clinical signs, making repeat Holter monitoring and echocardiography valuable before travel.
Importantly, any changes identified at this stage still allow time for treatment optimisation and rechecks before the trip.
The holiday countdown: ONE MONTH TO GO! Is the plan ready?
With everyone getting excited, it is easy to overlook some important details. If owners are flying or travelling abroad, now is the time to arrange Animal Health Certificates (AHCs), fit-to-travel certification, and any required vaccinations, such as rabies. This is also an excellent opportunity for a nurse clinic to review travel plans and discuss cardiac-specific considerations.
Now is a great time to revisit the finer details of the patient’s history:
- Exercise tolerance – avoid dismissing reduced exercise capacity as simply age-related or secondary to mobility issues without further investigation.
- Coughing – an increase in coughing or a persistent cough may indicate progression of structural heart disease, although not necessarily CHF.
- Sleeping respiratory rate (SRR) – if owners are not already monitoring this, encourage them to start using the Cardalis app (owner information sheets are also available on our website).
- Establishing an individual baseline is valuable even when CHF is not suspected.
- Remember: if the sleeping respiratory rate is below 30 breaths per minute, left-sided CHF is unlikely.
- Respiratory signs – older small-breed dogs commonly develop concurrent airway disease, while larger breeds may develop laryngeal dysfunction.
- Hot weather and humidity can significantly affect respiratory signs, particularly in brachycephalic patients.
- SRR monitoring is especially useful in these cases, helping distinguish patients that may benefit from respiratory medications rather than diuretics.
The holiday countdown: ONE MONTH TO GO! Is the suitcase ready?
- Provide enough medication for the entire trip, plus at least a few extra days’ supply (consider dispensing a small surplus, particularly for diuretics, where temporary dose increases may be required if the patient destabilises.) Advise:
- Keep medications in hand luggage when flying
- Set medication reminders if travelling across time zones
- Store medication appropriately and avoid leaving it in hot cars or direct sunlight
- Discuss whether short-term emergency medications may be appropriate for the individual patient, such as appetite stimulants or anti-anxiety medication to reduce travel stress.
- Remind them to check if their pet insurance covers them whilst travelling.
- Prepare a brief summary of the patient’s condition, current medications and doses, any patient adverse drug reactions and clinical signs to monitor. This can be invaluable for kennels, catteries, pet sitters, or emergency veterinary teams who may need to provide care while away from home.
Fortunately, heart disease doesn’t have to mean cancelling holiday plans. A little preparation, early reassessment and clear contingency planning can help ensure cardiac patients continue to enjoy time away with their families safely.
If you have a patient with upcoming travel plans and would like support with cardiac assessment, treatment optimisation or emergency planning, the HeartVets team is always happy to help.
Use our telemedicine service
