How To Avoid Problems When Boarding Your Dog

by: Katie Simpson

Most dogs, especially older ones, develop a sense of pattern in their daily lives. Transporting them to new places or doing something that could disrupt those habitual patterns can be upsetting to them.

Experts say that old pets are more likely to have health problems. Common to senior pets are deafness, blindness, and arthritis. As dogs get older, they are more prone to kidney, heart, and liver diseases. Sometimes your pet won't get around very easily. They might be experiencing arthritis and other degenerative conditions. Keep in mind that if your pets are not used to being boarded, or are not boarded properly, their health problems might worsen.

Planning to board your dog

When you are planning to board your pet, do not hesitate to drop by your chosen kennel beforehand. Speak with your kennel personnel regarding the care of your geriatric pet. Perhaps the kennel has a special area where older pets stay, or maybe they offer special services for senior dog care. Whatever health problems your pet has, be sure to discuss them thoroughly with your kennel personnel before boarding. The kennel staff will be better able to recognize problems with a particular condition if they know what to look for. Be sure to observe the following:

Make your reservations early at the chosen kennel. You will just get disappointed if you book your reservations at the last minute. The best kennels fill up quickly and are booked months in advance. You should also find out what types of payment they accept, what types of equipment you should bring with your dog, and what kind of food they will feed him.

Prepare your pet for boarding. Dogs, just like people, appreciate a break. They enjoy being in new surroundings. Once they get familiar with the place, they will probably have an exciting and marvelous time. For dogs that have never been boarded before, consider some short overnight stays to help him or her get used to boarding.

Check in during office hours. Make sure to bring all the paperwork needed by the kennel. The kennel needs to know your name, address, phone number, your veterinarian's name and phone number, and where you can be reached when you go away. So in case of emergency it will be easy for them to reach you. If your pet has any special problems that are not covered in your check in forms, point them out to your kennel operator.

This will help your kennel take better care of your pet. Most kennels have special services they provide. They sometimes provide a special diet for your dog or a special boarding place away from the general pet population. Kennel personnel provide nice resting and exercise places for your pets; they may even give your dog soft music to release their stress. Discuss your pet's individual needs and health conditions in advance, along with what to do if something changes. Remember, your kennel owner is in the business of boarding because he/she loves animals.

Relax and enjoy your trip. Remember that your pet is in good hands. Your pets will probably get more care and attention than they would in your home.

Many older pets have underlying conditions or undiagnosed illnesses that are not readily noticeable. Stress plays an important role regarding your pet's health. Stress can be caused by a variety of factors: being away from home and loved ones, a new environment, other dogs and cats, new noises, smells and people associated with a kennel, a change in food or water...the list goes on.

Whatever triggers a stress reaction also triggers physical changes in your pet. We may see physical signs of vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, lethargy, or increased respiration. Stress helps animals (and people) cope with a situation. However, when stress is not relieved or reduced sufficiently, the body does not have a chance to rest. This is why your pet can become ill away from home, even when he appeared normal when you dropped him off. Be sure to check for these conditions when you pick up your dog and find out what triggered them.

About The Author

Katie Simpson is a longtime dog lover. For more tips and strategies for caring for and enjoying your canine companion, be sure to visit her Brilliant Dogs site at: http://www.brilliant-dogs.com.

Search This Site For Information You Want

More Articles

What Are The Late Signs Of Kidney Disease In Patients With Diabetes?

... well as the level of creatinine in your blood. You may also experience nausea, vomiting, a loss of appetite, weakness, increasing fatigue, itching, muscle cramps (especially in your legs) and anemia (a low blood count). You may find you need less insulin. This is because diseased kidneys cause less breakdown ... 

What Causes Kidney Disease?

... of the possible causes of Kidney disease are included in the list below: Experts are of opinion that Kidney disease are due to diabetes and hypertention. To learn more about role of these two causes we have detailed topics below * Diabetes * Hypertension Kidney disease due to Hypertention : Hypertension ... 

Treatment Options For Kidney Stones

... cushion for the treatment. Mayo Clinic urologists use water for all ESWL procedures because the machines used to transmit shock waves through water generate more powerful waves, making it more likely that stones can be eliminated in a single treatment. Some side effects of ESWL include blood in the urine ... 

Is The Shock Wave Therapy Inviting Diabetes And Hypertension??

... instrument that releases the shock waves both are placed in a water bath. Water allows easier conduction of the shock waves through the patient's tissue and precise focus on the kidney stone. Mayo Clinic researchers report in the April issue of the Journal of Urology says that patients who undergo the ... 

What Are The Screening Tests For Prostate Cancer?

... from prostate cancer has not been determined. Transrectal Ultrasonography - During this examination, high-frequency sound waves are sent out by a probe about the size of the index finger, which is inserted into the rectum. The waves bounce off the prostate gland and produce echoes that a computer uses ... 

The Kidneys Reabsorb Most Of The Fluid Filtered From The Blood

... forming the tubule wall, in a process called reabsorption. Many other experiments have confirmed the hypothesis that most of the water is returned to the blood. Numerous other chemicals are also reabsorbed from the tubule and passed back into the bloodstream by way of the capillaries surrounding the tubules. ... 

Stages Of Kidney Diseases

... blood away from the kidney (the renal vein), to the blood vessel that carries blood from the lower part of the body to the heart (inferior vena cava), or to the adjacent adrenal gland. The estimated five-year survival of patients with this stage is over 65 percent, depending on involved sites. Stage IV: ... 

10 Tips To Prevent Kidney Stones

... or surgery (Read last paragraph)! And if you are worried about future kidney stones, know that kidney stone prevention is as easy as changing a few simple lifestyle habits. 10 Tips to Prevent Kidney Stones 1. Drink Water! Kidney Stones are caused by dehydration (not enough water) over a long period of ... 

The Prostate

... under the bladder. It surrounds the urethra, the tube through which urine flows. A healthy prostate is about the size of a walnut. The prostate makes part of seminal fluid. During ejaculation, seminal fluid helps carry sperm out of the man's body as part of semen. Male hormones (androgens) make the prostate ... 

Advice For Kidney Infections

... of the organism, and with its help wastes and surplus liquids are eliminated through urine. A known kidney infection is pyelonephritis which in most of the cases starts in the bladder. The bladder is part of the urinary system where urine is stored before being eliminated. There are two types of kidney ...