春花 in USA：博士号の後。

　12月に私はフィアンセを追って、アメリカ横断をするのですが、その際、最愛のにゃんこと金魚も一緒に連れて行くためただ今航空会社に電話中です。いろいろ調べてもらうのにon holdにされて、かれこれチケットかったりしてたら1時間半くらいかかってます。

　うちはにゃんこが2匹いて、デルタ航空では一人につきペット1匹しか機内に持ち込み出来ないので（機内には2匹までＯＫ）、フィアンセが12月に帰ってきて一匹飛行機で連れて行くことにしました。で、私も12月末に残りのもう一匹と金魚を連れて飛行機でアメリカ横断するつもりです。

　魚も機内持ち込みできるらしいのだけど、もう私はにゃんこを機内持ち込みにするつもりなので、金魚ちゃんたちはAir Cagoで送ることになりそうです。金魚を入れる入れ物のサイズと重さで値段が決められるのだけど、そんなの突然聞かれても分からないので適当に、10x10x6 inchesで2lbって言っておいたら、＄５２くらいかかるそう。とりあえず、金魚も一緒に引っ越せそうなので少し安心しました。もっといろいろ調べなくっちゃいけないけど。この金魚ちゃんたち、もともと熱帯魚のえさだったのがりっぱな10センチほどの金魚に成長してます。3歳くらいになるはず。実家で飼っていた金魚は10年くらい生きていたので（15センチから20センチくらいになった）、それくらい生きて欲しいです。

　にゃんこと金魚はこれで連れて行ける見当がついたけど、残念ながらこれまで大事に育ててきたほとんどの植物はもっていけなさそうです。フィアンセは何とかして、私がフィアンセの誕生日プレゼントに送った木を持っていこうと計画中ですが。全ての生き物を責任持って育てるのは、生活の拠点が1つでない私とフィアンセにはなかなか難しい課題です（にゃんこと金魚は絶対手放さないけど）。

　今日、私の教える授業の期末試験スケジュールを調べたら何と、12月19日と20日！採点して成績をつけるのに少なくとも2，3日はかかるので、フィアンセのもとへ行けるのは早くて12月24日。とりあえず、日程が分かっただけでもよかったけど、授業の最終日が12月9日なのに、試験が試験期間の最終日なんてちょっとショック。

***************************************************

　猫と旅行をするためのアドバイス。

http://www.petsmart.com/global/articles/article_detail.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673267885&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302024219&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441806286&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023690&bmUID=1122429673544

Tips for Traveling with Your Pets




People find that many dogs and some cats (primarily the Siamese and Siamese-related breeds) can be excellent traveling companions if they are basically well-behaved and psychologically and physically healthy. However, certain precautions and considerations are basic.

Make sure your pet is wearing a current I.D.
Should you get parted, you need some way for the finder to reach you. Many pet shops sell waterproof identification "barrel" tags in which you can enclose a small piece of paper that says "If lost, please call -- collect." Give the phone number of a friend or relative who is willing to take messages, or else provide the number of the place where you are staying.

On long road trips, give your pet daily exercise.
For traveling dogs, at least half an hour of a vigorous game of fetch or a jog with you is important. If you like to let your dog run loose, do so only in a safe and appropriate area and, even then, only if the dog is well-trained to return on command.

Cats should be kept in a harness attached to a leash. Car rides and strange places are more upsetting to a cat than to a dog, and felines might bolt. Once your cat has relaxed into the journey, and if he will come when called, you might let the animal off the leash under your supervision -- but be cautious! For an added measure of safety, free the cat before feeding time, so hunger will provide an additional incentive for a prompt return.

Never leave a pet in a sealed car on a hot day.
Heat can build up very fast in a closed car, which acts like a solar oven, causing an animal to go into heat prostration. This may lead to serious brain injury and even death.

Take familiar items with you.
A basket or piece of bedding from home can make any animal feel safer and more at ease. You could also take favorite toys to give your pet something to do.

Use commercial pet health foods for convenience, if necessary.
But add vitamin C and vitamin B complex to help traveling animals deal with stress.

Anticipate nature's calls.
For a cat a litter box is basic gear for a road trip. Take a dog on a short stroll on a leash at least twice a day. Carry disposable bags and a scooper to use in public parks, cities, motel properties and beaches.

Prepare for health problems that are common to most travelers.
Constipation can plague traveling pets. It can be caused by lack of exercise or water, infrequent stops, or anxiety about strange new territories. Temporary constipation is not a serious problem and will usually clear up before long. Check with your pet's doctor prior to the trip for some helpful remedies for constipation.

Nausea grips some animals when they ride in a car or plane, and they will either vomit or salivate excessively. The B-complex supplementation mentioned above will help prevent nausea. Also, encourage your pet to lie down on the floor of the car as a preventive. If motion sickness does occur, give your dog some peppermint tea or peppermint capsules to help settle her stomach (not so well tolerated by cats). An alternative to using peppermint tea is a formula made from the 38 flower preparations discovered by Dr. Edward Bach. Mix together Aspen, Elm, Scleranthus and Vervain and give two drops of this formula every two hours to relieve the emotional upset and subsequent nausea.

Occasionally, it is wise to fast a susceptible pet the day before departure or on the first day of the trip. For an animal going by public transit in a carrier, a 24-hour fast before the trip will generally prevent it from eliminating during the journey.

Aconitum napellus 30C is very useful for minimizing fear and upset before traveling. Give one pellet of this homeopathic remedy an hour before leaving home; give another pellet just a few minutes before actually leaving the house. This usually is enough for most animals and most trips. If nervousness returns, give your pet another dose (one pellet) during the trip itself. Rarely will this remedy be needed more than three or four times; in fact, most animals travel well with just the two doses given before leaving home. This medicine is very safe to use and often functions better than a tranquilizer.

Eye irritation may occur in a dog that likes to ride with its head out the window, testing all the interesting scents it passes. Sometimes dust and debris enter the dog's eyes at high speeds, scratching the cornea and irritating sensitive membranes. For a minor irritation, I suggest washing the eyes out with this mild salt (saline) solution quite similar to tears: Add a level 1U4 teaspoon of sea salt to one cup of pure water and stir. Keep the solution at room temperature; pour a small amount into a cup or dish and apply it by dripping it from a saturated cotton ball into the eye or by using a glass or plastic dropper. Administer the liquid until it runs out of the eye to flush out irritating substances.

For more serious irritations, use a cup of the same saline solution to which you add only five drops of tincture (or alcoholic extract) of the herb Euphrasia officinalis or eyebright. Use this solution in the eye four times a day.

If your pet has a serious corneal injury, the animal will keep its eye shut most of the time. In such a case seek veterinary help.

Do not take an unhealthy pet on an airline.
If you do take a pet on a flight, make sure that the animal won't be exposed to extreme temperatures or possible suffocation. If your pet is small enough to stand up and turn around in a container that fits within their carry-on size restrictions, most of the major airlines will allow you to carry it on. Otherwise, it will have to be shipped in the cargo compartment, in a sturdy plastic kennel with metal doors.

Try to determine if the cargo compartment is temperature controlled. If not, avoid layovers exceeding one hour and avoid flights in or out of any city with expected temperatures outside the range of 45° to 80°F. Reservations for cargo space are usually required. Animals may also be shipped, unaccompanied, by air freight. This service costs extra.

You will also need to get certification of your pet's health from a veterinarian. This is required for public transportation, interstate shipment and foreign travel. I do not advise taking your pet if your destination is a country that has a lengthy required quarantine time or any special health hazards. Check on the destination country's requirements before making your plans.

Respect motel and campground properties.
You and your pet are much more apt to be welcome if you assure the owners that you will:

Never leave a dog alone in a motel room while you go out for an extended period (which may lead to barking and chewing).

Have a bag and scooper with you and clean up any messes, inside or out.

Only bring a neutered or spayed pet. This discourages wandering and territory-marking.

Keep the pet on a leash at all times, so it doesn't charge through tender flower beds or bother other guests.

These guidelines help make you welcome with your pet when visiting at people's homes, too.