Do thorough research when deciding where to board pets

Since it is summer vacation time, I have been addressing summer issues that involve you and your pet.

I received many wonderful compliments about last week’s article focusing on things to think about when you are taking your pets with you on vacation. I am extremely pleased that so many of our readers picked up some of the dos and don’ts of traveling with a pet.

As much as we all would love to take our pets with us on vacation, in many instances this is not possible. Either the place you are going does not appreciate your pets the way we do, or, on the more serious side, the pet can become so stressed from being out of its own home that it can become ill or the situation can turn fatal in some cases. So if your pet experiences either of these situations, you have two choices. You either never leave them, which sounds pretty silly, or arrange for someone or someplace to care for them in your absence.

The very best choice for you, your pet and us veterinarians is to have someone you know and trust to stay at your home to care for the pets just as you would. If you cannot find someone to stay at your house, getting a neighbor or friend to come by two or three times per day for a dog and one or two times a day for a cat to feed them, let them outdoors, play a little with them or just enjoy some petting time with them will help the pets adjust while you are gone. This also works well with rabbits, hamsters, birds, reptiles, etc. My teenagers love doing this for our friends and neighbors and they love making a few extra dollars since they can’t really have a paid job at 15. I am sure it doesn’t hurt that their mom is a veterinarian and only a phone call away.

Always leave the name and number of your veterinarian on the counter or refrigerator in case something unexpected happens. It’s also a good idea to call your veterinarian, explain that you will be out of town and the person you chose will take care of your pets and is authorized to sign for medical conditions and cost if you are not available by phone.

At my clinic, I place an alert on your chart and will try to first contact you with all of the numbers we have on file. Thankfully, these situations do not come up too often, but when they do it sure makes necessary and quick decisions painless. To be sure your wishes are respected, leave a credit card number on file at your veterinary office with the stipulation that it is to be used up to a certain dollar amount. Not only do we respect this, but we also will call you when the patient is stable to discuss further treatments or funds that will be needed. At that point, you have the full information and confidence to make any decisions needed.

The next option owners think about is hiring a dog walker, a cat cuddler and a rabbit feeder, for example. These are pet sitting businesses that should have a business name, tax identification number, pay business taxes and so on. If they have all of the above and are willing to give it to you, you should look into it and check out the business’ website to see how professional it is and whether they have good reviews. Please understand the website condoners are usually friends and family so I usually do not put too much energy in those reviews or any others done by Yelp, Google, etc. because we all know those are just disgruntled employees or clients who want things free. Your best place to get proper information on these services is to call your veterinary hospital and ask if they have heard of this company or if there is a company they recommend. You will be sure to get the best information for the sake of your pet.

Another option is to board your pet at a kennel or at your veterinary hospital. The most important thing to ask about is the requirements for vaccines, stools and heartworm and flea prevention. Universally, vaccinations given by anyone other than a doctor should not and cannot be accepted at any facility. There are so many reasons this holds true that I will discuss it in another article. When showing vaccination papers they have to be from a veterinary hospital with a doctor’s name on it. You should visit any place you are considering to see the cages, kennels, outdoor facilities and rules on puppy playtime, general playtime, feeding options and cost if these things are extra.

Of course, in my opinion, your veterinary hospital is the very best place a pet should stay for many reasons. First, boarders are all treated like patients and are attended to all day. When any medical issues arise, we are not only concerned and confident in treating the patient, but we also are licensed to prescribe and treat the patient. We have access to all phone numbers and emergency numbers to be able to contact you. Not all veterinary hospitals are licensed to board cats and dogs, not to mention birds, reptiles and pocket pets.