Dog owners like you want to take the best possible care of their dogs at all times. If you have to go out of town at some point and cannot take your dog with you, then you need to have your dog boarded. Before you take your dog to a particular facility for dog boarding, there are some things you ought check on so that you can be sure that you are doing what is best for your dog while you are away.
Make Sure Your Dog Is Current on Vaccinations
One of the most important factors to consider when you are taking your dog to a boarding facility is their health. When so many dogs are in close proximity for prolonged periods of time, there is an increased risk that infections will spread. However, if your dog is up to date on all its vaccines, it has a much lower risk of contracting any illnesses while in boarding.
Take your dog to the vet a week or two before they are to go to boarding. Make sure they have been vaccinated for kennel cough (bordetella), rabies, parvovirus, and all the other recommended vaccines. The more they are vaccinated against, the better the chances are that they will come home to you completely healthy after boarding.
Find Out if a Veterinarian Is on Staff
Even with vaccinations taken care of, there is a chance that something will go wrong while your dog is at the boarding facility. Your dog could get injured, fall ill with a condition that cannot be vaccinated against, or have another health crisis while you are away.
It is important for you to know about the training of the staff members working at your dog boarding facility and the ways in which situations such as these will be handled. If possible, find a dog boarding facility that has a veterinarian on staff. Some veterinary clinics like Animal House Veterinary Hospital even offer their own boarding services.
If there is no veterinarian on staff at the dog boarding facility, you will want to be sure that you leave emergency contact information for your dog's veterinarian with the facility. Then the boarding facility can contact your veterinarian and may even be able to get your dog to them in an emergency situation.
Now that you know a few of the steps to take before you take your dog for boarding, you can be sure you are doing what is best for your dog while you are away.
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