Definitions of Pet Travel Terms

  • BAOS - Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS). BAOS is also referred to as brachycephalic airway disease (BAD) and brachycephalic airway syndrome (BAS) and even brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS).
  • brachycephalic (brak-ee-suh-fal-ik) - Ratio of the width of the head to the length. Some airlines place restrictions on the transport of short nosed dogs and cats.
  • Certificate of Acclimation (ser-tif-i-kit uhv ak-luh-mey-shuhn) - Documentation from your veterinarian indicating that your pet can travel in cold weather. Often required with the temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • edema (i-dee-muh) - Swelling caused by excessive fluid in organs and tissues.
  • embargo (em-bahr-goh) - A ban in the shipment of pets, usually for summer months or to locations where temperatures may be too hot for safe transport. In some cases an embargo may apply only to certain breeds of dogs and cats.
  • hyperthermia (hye-per-ther-mee-a) - Higher than normal body temperature which occurs when the body creates or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate.
  • hypoglycemic - A pathologic state produced by a lower than normal level of glucose (sugar) in the blood.
  • hypoplastic - Small or underdeveloped tissue or organ.
  • monoparesis - Slight paralysis to a single body part usually from nerve damage.
  • necropsy (nek-rop-see) - An examination of a dead body, usually in respect to animals.
  • OIE-FAVN - A blood test to determine the quanity of rabies antibodies in the bloodstream. If there are sufficient levels, Hawaii considers the animal to be properly vaccinated against rabies.
  • quarantine (kwawr-uhn-teen) - Isolation or animal who is suspected of having a disease in order to prevent the further spread of the disease.
  • rabies titer (rey-beez tahy-ter) - A blood test done to measurement of the amount of rabies vaccine in a pets blood. A titer of greater or equal to 0.50 IU/mL is generally required for travel to rabies-free areas accepting titers (including Hawaii).
  • redacted - Confidential information that has been removed from a document. In this context, personal information deleted from reports that airlines file regarding the loss, injury or death of pets during transport.
  • service animal (sur-vis an-uh-muhl) - An animal such as a guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.
  • zoonotic - A disease that can be transmitted to humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regulates the importation of pets into the United States to prevent the spread of zoonotic disease.

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