We have recently been asked by a number of people what they should do in preparation for leaving their dogs at the kennel while they go on vacation. I thought I'd put together a few pointers to help everyone with this prep.
- Make sure the kennel or person taking care of your pets has your contact information. This is in case something were to happen and they need to get in touch with you.
- Let your veterinarian know who you are leaving your pets with so that if this person calls, there are no surprises. As well, it is important to let your vet know what you would like done should an emergency arise. Having someone who can make medical decisions while you are away is also important.
- If going to a kennel, take some things such as a towel and toys that smell like home. It will go a long way to helping your pet feel settled more quickly.
- Take your pet's food to the kennel. We don't want upset tummy's while you are away.
- A responsible kennel will also want proof of current vaccinations.
Another reason why I wanted to chat about these points is because we had a case where because we knew the owners
were away, we were able to move rather quickly on a medical case. The dogs were being cared for in their home by one of my staff members. She noticed that the oldest dog wasn't acting like herself when she got home one night and gave me a quick call to give me a heads up. Since she wasn't doing much better the next morning, she brought her in. I discovered that the dog had a heart condition that had not been heard a few months prior during her regular physical exam. I know the owners quite well and knew they would want a full work up done on their beloved girl. I was able to get her in to see the specialist and kept the owners in the loop. Luckily they were returning in a couple days so they were able to come home in a timely manner to do the follow up with the specialist. In this case, if we hadn't been able to get in touch with the owners or have instructions on what we could do in case of emergency, the outcome would not have been positive.
By having your "ducks in a row", everyone can have a wonderful and relaxing vacation!
