With many vacations right around the corner, some people will need to place their pets in the kennel before they hit the road. Before doing so, Dr. Speiser has some important steps that you should consider before boarding your pet.
- Get your pet is up-to-date on their vaccines that are required by the boarding facility that you intend to use. Be sure to take care of this a couple of weeks before (not days before) you board them to ensure that they’re adequately protected.
- For dogs, The most important are Distemper, Rabies, Bordetella (Kennel Cough) and Influenza.
- For cats, you’ll want to make sure they have their Distemper and respiratory virus’s (FVR-C-P), Rabies and Feline leukemia / Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FELV/FIV).
- Give your pet a 30 day flea and tick preventative treatment. This should help ensure that they don’t pick up any nasty parasites while they’re boarded.
- It’s also a good idea to take a container of your pets food to the boarding facility. Most boarding facilities will accept that to help ensure that your pet will eat well while you’re gone and ensure that they don’t suffer from GI upset or diarrhea.
- Take any medications that your pet is on so there is no break in treatment while they’re boarded.
- Make arrangements with a friend or third party caregiver that could pick up your pet from the boarder if they get ill and bring them to your veterinarian.
- Be sure the boarding kennel knows who your veterinarian is in case there is an emergency that they need to take your pet to your veterinarian. It’s always best to take your pet to the veterinarian that is familiar with them.
Boarding your pet can be stressful, but by following these tips, you can relieve some of that stress and ensure that your pet is as happy and safe as they can be until you return.