Finding The Pet Day Care Of My Dreams

When your pet needs boarding, be it for a day or week or longer, there are normal concerns about how well they'll fare; however, when you have a pet with special needs or other potentially precarious circumstances, your concern is likely much greater. Will your animal get the attention and care they need? Will they be terribly upset in the strange environment? Their well-being depends largely on the choices you make about where they should stay and who will be looking after them.

The boarding or day care facility you select should be based on the special needs of your special pet.

Separation Anxiety

Dogs who experience separation anxiety may exhibit different behavior issues that a typical kennel isn't equipped to or would prefer not to handle. When any animal becomes anxious, they pose a threat to their human handlers, even if, under normal circumstances, they tend to be friendly and docile. One animal with separation anxiety in a boarding facility can also make other animals upset, leading to additional problems for staff.

A veterinarian clinic, on the other hand, is experienced with anxious animals and better able to handle them. Also, a vet more than likely has a boarding area specifically for troubled animals, where they'll be less likely to disturb the overall facility.

If your dog has anxiety issues, they'll probably be more comfortable at the vet's facility, where it should be a little quieter. If you're uncertain, ask your vet for their professional recommendation. They might suggest a mild medication for your dog while they're staying away from you, no matter where you choose to board.

Diabetes

Even a well-regulated diabetic dog or cat could suffer so much stress in a boarding environment that their medical condition will change dramatically. Diabetes can be a very precarious situation that changes quickly, and when sudden spikes in insulin occur, immediate medical attention may be necessary. Keeping your diabetic animal at the vet's while you're away on vacation or business should mean they're able to receive the urgent care needed, if it becomes necessary.

Additionally, the administration of diabetic medication is most often a very precise science, and the staff at a traditional boarding facility might not be qualified. Since diabetes is not something you want to take chances with, the vet is your safest choice in terms of someone looking after your pet.

Anything Potentially Contagious

Since an animal hospital has special areas set up to quarantine any creature with a contagious condition like rabies or parvo virus, your pet can stay comfortably without posing as a risk to other animals. While a kennel requires disclosure of contagious conditions and would likely turn your pet away, a stay at the vet is comfortable, with the added bonus of potentially being able to treat the problem. Even if it's something that simply has to run its course, your pet would be welcomed, monitored, and separated from others. 

If your pet has a persistent case of the fleas you haven't been able to get under control prior to your getaway, give your vet as much advance warning as possible so they can arrange to professionally treat the animal before assigning kennel quarters.

Geriatric Complications

Older animals often benefit from staying at the vet, especially those requiring constant attention, special diets, and peace and quiet. Not only will boarding at the vet be safer for your beloved pet, but it will also give you less to worry about while you're away. If your animal is older and dealing with typical geriatric conditions such as the following, definitely consider the vet's kennel first or check with them before opting for a standard boarding facility:

• Weight-sensitive dietary needs.
• Arthritis and a decrease in mobility.
• Constipation with accompanying complications related to anal glands or malformations in the hip joint.
• Kidney disease or decreased kidney function.
• Immune system vulnerability.

Any age-related problem in your cat or dog should be considered when deciding where to board them, even if it's mild hearing and vision loss or low energy. Ask yourself if the animal becomes easily agitated around other dogs or cats or is resistant with new people and places, and if the answer is basically yes, then they likely need extra quiet and TLC.

An Injury

Depending on the severity of an injury, having them stay at a friend's or local kennel may be acceptable, but only if you've checked with your regular vet first. In some cases, where the animal needs to remain as calm and sedentary as possible, if a friend will watch them in the confines of their quiet home, that may actually be best; however, if your pet requires regular transport to the vet for the injury, dressing changes, or other delicate medical matters, they're probably best left there during your absence.

Mandatory Medications

A pet needing medications every day or more may need to stay at the veterinarian's kennel, simply to ensure the meds are administered in a professional and timely manner. Although most boarding facilities are able to give medications, if they're life-sustaining or difficult to administer, you and your pet are simply better off opting for vet boarding, especially if the condition mandating the medicine produces other complications for your animal.

Exotic Needs

Your pet may present needs that only specialized training can accommodate, besides your own ability to keep them healthy and happy. Exotic pets with temperature and light sensitivity, special pH balance requirements, or even the need to have meals fed to them alive are but a few examples of the special needs of some exotic pets. If you consider anyone other than your vet, see that whoever cares for your pet has the knowledge to adequately care for them and that you attach a list of the animal's needs directly on the habitat or cage they'll be staying in. Special arrangements should be made no matter where you keep your exotic, and it's also a good idea to call and make certain their needs are being met.

While many variables may complicate your decision, you know you're making the right choice when you run it by your vet first, even if you eventually opt to board your pet somewhere else. Although the vet is nearly always the logical choice, the special circumstances of your pet dictate the special care they need.