Sadly, we can't bring our pets everywhere with us, especially if we are traveling. Leaving your pet can be stressful no matter what, but even more so when they are ill. Our Suwanee vets explain medical pet boarding.
What Are My Boarding & Pet Care Options?
If you are going away for a couple of days and your pet is not able to come with you, there are 3 standard categories for pet care: sitting, pet boarding, and medical pet boarding. Here's what you need to know about each option:
Hire A Pet Sitter
Pet sitting is much like having a babysitter for your dog. A pet sitter can be a professional that your hire from a reputable company or a friend or family member. The level of service from a pet server can vary but the primary role of a sitter is to check on your pet periodically and dispense food and water, take care of their bathroom breaks, and provide social playtime.
Standard Pet Boarding
Pet boarding is a service where you take your pets to be taken care of. You may be more familiar with the other name for pet boarding which is a kennel. In recent years the level of service available has increased significantly. Some places are bare bones and will take care of the essential needs of your pet, while others are more like going to summer camp with a range of activities to keep them occupied, and others are more like spas for pets to be pampered to their heart's content. Since service can vary we recommend that pet owners check out any facility to make sure it is where they would like to leave their pet.
Medical Pet Boarding
Medical pet boarding is similar to normal pet boarding with an added perk. Medical pet boarding comes with the supervision of a vet and their staff.
When Do Pets Need Medical Boarding?
The three types of pets that are highly recommended for medical pet boarding are pets with pre-existing conditions, extremely young pets, and senior pets.
Medical boarding is highly recommended for pets that require a little extra care or have existing medical conditions. While pet sitters and standard boarding facilities can provide the basics of care, they are not likely to be trained to administer drugs especially if needles are involved. This is a major advantage of medical boarding; the staff is trained professionals that can understand your pet's medical history and give medication and adjust doses if there are issues. They also know what symptoms to watch for based on your pet's medical condition/history.
What Are The Requirements for Medical Pet Boarding?
Most regular pet boarding facilities will require that the pet is vaccinated for contagious diseases. They will also state whether or not you can bring toys, bedding, or food for your pet. With most medical boarding the rule still holds for the vaccination requirement but double-check with them to see what their policy is for specific vaccination required for pets being medically boarded.
While some kennels may allow toys and bedding from home for pets under normal boarding circumstances they may or may not allow it for medically boarded pets. This is to keep the environment as hygienic as possible. Double-check the specifics of the policies on medical boarding at your chosen boarding facility.
You will need to provide the boarding facility with the medications that your pet is currently taking, making sure to bring enough for their entire stay. It is often recommended that in you bring your pet's current food, especially if it is a prescribed diet by your vet.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. Please make an appointment with your vet for an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition.