The very first thing I do is find ER vets along the route. I use website
whatshalfway.com
Say I am going to Annapolis MD, that's a 4 hour trip from Pennsylvania . I can find what is the 1/2 way town, which is Woodlyn Del 2 hrs from my house.
Then I find the 1/2 way point from my house to woodlyn Del. which is Allentown a one hour ride.
Then I find the 1/2 way point from Woodlyn Del. to Annapolis which is Denton MD one hour ride. I find ER vets in all 4 areas. all one hour apart. It's a bit of work, but for me well worth the time if I need an emergency vet visit while in route and one at point of destination.
I take more then enough food, Sir Cody only drinks Poland Spring water, I take 2 gals. which is way more then enough I always take extra in case of a longer unplanned stay.
First aid kit, shampoo one never knows what he'll get into,his brushes, combs, latex bands for his top knot,scissors to cut the latex bands, cotton balls for eye boogers, treats, his bed, god forbid he has to lay on "a bare" floor, his fav. toys, his food and water bowls, they must be the ones he always eats from
, a couple of tee shirts, pee pads although he doesn't use them he knows what they are, in a strange place he will use it if he absolutely needs to go. In the car I keep one gal. jug of water, if I transfer his water into smaller plastic bottle he won't drink the water lol, his water bow land the stroller. This stroller is a life saver to keep him contained if I am visiting friends, houses Cody is not familiar with, no snooping around or take an unplanned shopping trip. This is just off the top of my head, I may have forgotten a thing or two, reason why I keep a check list lol.
I keep a check list taped inside on the door of my clothes closet to make sure everything I need I take. He has his overnighter and I have mine lol. YES, what we do for our furbabies.
As Joy has pointed out, traveling with fur babies is like traveling with young children.