Pets on Finnair Flights

Find out if you can travel with a pet to your destination.

Check if your pet can travel in the cabin or in the hold on the same flight as you, or if it needs to travel separately as cargo.

Book your trip well in advance.

If you have already booked your tickets and decide to travel with your pet, please let us know in advance.

Make sure you have the necessary documents and vaccinations for your pet.

Take a transport bag, crate or container suitable for your pet.

CAN I TRAVEL TO MY DESTINATION WITH A PET?

Regulations regarding the transport of pets may vary from country to country. Some countries may impose entry restrictions for certain animals or breeds. We recommend that you consult the specific regulations with the consulate or embassy of your destination country which is located near you.

When traveling to or through certain countries, the transport of pets is allowed only as cargo , which means your pet does not travel with you. These countries are, in particular, Great Britain, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.

PETS IN THE CABIN, IN THE HOLD, OR TRANSPORTED AS FREIGHT?

On our flights, small animals, including cats, small dogs, domestic rabbits, turtles and hedgehogs, may travel with you in the cabin, as long as the total weight of the animal and the transport crate does not exceed 8 kg . Larger dogs and ferrets can travel in the hold on the same flight as you, if the combined weight of the animal and its carrier is less than 50 kg. If your pet and its crate together weigh more than 50 kg, the pet must be shipped by freight.

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MAKE A RESERVATION

To travel with your pet on our flight, you will need confirmation from us in advance. We recommend that you book your flights through our customer service to let us know when your pet is being transported at the same time. Please have the dimensions of the transport box, as well as the total weight of the animal and its container.

If you have already made a reservation and decide to travel with your pet, please let us know by filling out the special baggage form .

As a general rule, we can accept two pets in the cabin and two in the hold on the same flight. However, the type of aircraft, the weather conditions in the destination country or the presence of allergic passengers on the flight may limit the number of pets.

Please note that policies regarding the transportation of pets may vary from airline to airline. If your ticket includes flights operated by other airlines, please also review their policies.

DOCUMENTS, VACCINATION AND QUARANTINE

Regulations for the transport of pets as well as the required documents, vaccinations and quarantine times vary from country to country. We advise you to check with the authorities of the country of departure and the country of destination before purchasing your plane tickets.

PETS TRAVELING IN THE HOLD

Larger pets that cannot travel in the cabin can travel in the aircraft hold on the same flight as you. However, if your animal and its transport crate weigh more than 50 kg , the animal can only be shipped by freight .

The space in the hold in which the animals are transported is air conditioned and heated (always above 10 ° C). Due to fire safety requirements, there is no light in the cargo hold. Below you will find instructions and tips if your pet is traveling in the cargo hold.

Please choose a transport crate intended for the transport of animals. The transport crate should be large enough to allow your pet to stand up, lie down and turn around comfortably. Please consult the International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations regarding transport crates. An animal over 40 kg must travel in a sturdy transport crate. Finn air does not sell or rent a transport crate.

In one crate, you can transport two adult animals of comparable size or a maximum of three puppies under six months of age from the same litter. When transporting several animals in the same box, the maximum weight of each animal is 14 kg. Please note that some countries may have restrictions on the transport of more than one animal in a single transport crate.

Step 1: Make Your Dog Comfortable

First, make sure your dog is relaxed and comfortable around you. Do this by giving him a treat or two before starting. If possible, start this process after they’ve eaten their meal to help them feel extra sleepy and calm! For anxious dogs, you can even try CBD Oil for Dogs.

Step 2: Prepare The Paw

Second, lift one of your dogs paws into your hand and press gently on the pad of the paw while looking at the tip of each nail. You’ll be able to see where your dog’s skin is and if you cut it, he will bleed and it may hurt him.

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That’s why we use a nail cutter, so we don’t have to worry about hurting our dog when trimming their nails.

Step Three: Secure The Paw

Third, you can feel free to push down on the pad of their paw if it’s more comfortable for you. If your dog is wiggly when you’re trying to hold his paw, you can try this instead!

Step 4: Apply The Cut

Fourth, once you’ve identified where the quick ends in each nail, go ahead and cut just past that point. You’ll only want to cut into the pinkish area on the end of his nail, not into the black part. If you do accidentally cut into this black section, use an absorbent cotton ball to stop the bleeding. After it stops, apply some styptic powder to help the blood clot faster and prevent infection in your dog’s paw. You can then apply some CBD for Pets to promote healing as well.

Step 5: Repeat on All Nails

Fifth, keep trimming until all their nails are the same length.

Step by Step Instructions for Trimming Dog Nails

Pet your dog and make sure they’re comfortable with you
With one paw in each hand, feel for the end of each nail to know where to cut
Cut just past this point (only into the pinkish area)
Keep cutting until all of the nails are the same length
If you accidentally cut into the black part, apply some styptic powder to stop the bleeding

Now that you’ve learned how to cut your dog’s nails, you can feel confident doing it at home! If this process continues to be too stressful for either of you, then why not try bringing them to a groomer?

If you want more information on how to do this and other dog grooming basics, check out the video linked below:

Whether or not dogs dream isn’t known with scientific certainty, but it sure is difficult to imagine that they don’t. We’ve all watched our dogs demonstrate behaviours in their sleep that resemble what they do in a fully awake state. Paddling legs, whining, growling, wagging tails, chewing jowls, and twitching noses inspire us to wonder what our dogs are dreaming about.

What we know about dogs and dreams

While our knowledge on this topic is very limited, the following known information helps us believe that dogs do indeed experience dreams. According to MIT News, Matthew Wilson, a professor of neuroscience at MIT, and Kenway Louie, a graduate student in 2001, have studied the relationships between memory, sleep and dreams. They found that when rats were trained to run along a circular track for food rewards, their brains created a distinctive firing pattern of neurons (brain cells). The researchers repeated the brain monitoring while the rats were sleeping. Low and behold, they observed the same signature brain activity pattern associated with running whether the rats were awake or asleep. In fact, the memories played at approximately the same speed during sleep as when the rats were awake.

Can we apply this to dogs?

Can we take what is known about dreaming in rats and humans and apply the information to dogs? Wilson believes that we can.”My guess is — unless there is something special about rats and humans — that cats and dogs are doing exactly the same thing,” he said, according to USA Today’s website.

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It is known that the hippocampus, the portion of the brain that collects and stores memories, is wired much the same way in all mammals. According to healthday.com, Professor Wilson says, “If you compared a hippocampus in a rat to a dog; in a cat to a human, they contain all of the same pieces.” He believes that as dogs sleep, images of past events replay in their minds, much the same way people recall experiences while dreaming.

In people, it is known that most dreams occur during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, according to the National Institutes of Health. Dogs also experience periods of REM sleep. Psychology Today’s website says that during REM their breathing becomes more irregular and shallow. There may be muscle twitching during REM and, when one looks closely, rapid eye movements behind closed eyelids can often be observed. It is during REM sleep that behaviours thought to be associated with dreaming (legs paddling, twitching, vocalizing, etc.) are most commonly observed.

What we want to believe about dog dreams

When we observe our dogs as they sleep, it’s just about impossible to imagine that they are not dreaming. Just like the rats studied by Wilson and Louie, it is tempting to believe that our four-legged best buddies are reenacting their recent experiences; playing at the dog park, sniffing in the woods, chewing on a treasured bone, and chasing squirrels.

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The National Institutes of Health says that Sigmund Freud theorized that dreaming was a “safety valve” for our unconscious desires. Perhaps he is correct, and, when our dogs sleep, they dream about catching the neighbour’s pesky cat, continuous belly rubs in conjunction with unlimited dog treats, and stealing the Thanksgiving turkey from the dining room table.

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian — they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

Did you know that some authorities feel that 1 out of every 100 dogs that reach 12 years of age develops diabetes mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a hormonal problem where the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin, the hormone that helps push sugar (“glucose”) into the body’s cells. Without the insulin, the body’s cells are starving for sugar; unfortunately, this then stimulates the body to produce more and more sugar (in an attempt to feed the cells). That’s why your dog’s blood sugar is so high (what we call a “hyperglycemia”) with diabetes mellitus.

Without insulin, the sugar can’t get into the cells; hence, why you need to give insulin to your dog with a tiny syringe twice a day. In dogs, this is a disease that can be costly to treat and requires twice-a-day insulin along with frequent veterinary visits for the rest of your dog’s life.

So how do you know if your dog has diabetes? Clinical signs of diabetes mellitus in dogs include:

Excessive drinking
Excessive urination
Urinary accidents in the house
Dilute urine
Overweight or obese
Muscle wasting
Ravenous appetite
Frequent urinary tract infections
Weakness
Unkempt or poor hair coat
Blindness secondary to cataracts
Neuropathies (nerve problems)

As your dog gets older, it’s worth talking to your veterinarian about doing routine blood work to make sure your dog is healthy. This blood work will help rule out kidney and liver problems, anaemia, infections, electrolyte problems and diabetes mellitus. The sooner you recognize the clinical signs, the sooner your dog can be treated with insulin and the fewer complications we see as a result.

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So, if you notice any of the signs above, get to a veterinarian right away. Now, continue on for 5 important reasons to test your dog for diabetes:

1. Your dog will live longer

Diabetes mellitus can shorten the lifespan of your dog, as secondary complications and infections can occur. With diabetes, the body is immunosuppressed and more likely to develop diabetic complications which cause long term harm to your dog.

2. Your dog will be able to see

Did you know that the majority of dogs with diabetes eventually go blind from cataracts? Even in well-controlled diabetic dogs, the excess sugar in the body can have secondary effects on the lens of the eye; it causes more water to influx into the lens, which disrupts the clearness of the lens. As a result, cataract formation occurs, resulting in eventual blindness and secondary inflammation in both eyes. While cataract surgery can (and ideally, should) be performed, it can be costly.

3. You’ll save a lot of money

Treatment for diabetes mellitus includes twice-a-day insulin treatment, insulin syringes, prescription diets, and frequent veterinary trips for blood tests. Also, as diabetic dogs can’t go without their insulin, it may mean hiring house sitters or pet sitters to treat your pet while you are on vacation.

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4. You’ll have fewer urinary accidents in the house

One of the biggest signs of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus is excessive drinking, urination and having urinary accidents in the house. Because of hyperglycemia, dogs are also at increased risk for urinary tract infections, wreaking havoc on your carpet. The sooner you can treat your dog with insulin and get diabetes controlled or regulated, the less your dog will drink and urinate, making your dog more comfortable too!

5. You’ll have more peace knowing that your dog is healthy

As a veterinarian and dog owner, I want to make sure my dog is as healthy as possible. You might already be talking with your veterinarian about vaccines each year in a dog that is older than 7 years of age; next, talk to your veterinarian about doing an annual exam and routine blood work too. It’ll pick up on medical problems sooner, so you can rest assured that your dog is going to live a longer, happier, healthier life!

Having a diabetic pet is also a big commitment, as it requires dedicated pet parents who can give twice-a-day injections of insulin. Caring for a diabetic dog does require frequent trips to the veterinarian to regulate blood sugar. That said, dogs can live with diabetes for years with appropriate care and treatment. When in doubt, make sure to monitor your dog carefully for the signs of diabetes, and seek veterinary attention sooner rather than later to help test for this ever-growing problem!

CAN I TRAVEL TO MY DESTINATION WITH A PET?