Dog Boarding at Vintage Heights Veterinary Hospital
What are the different types of boarding options available for dogs?
There are various types of boarding that a dog can be part of. You can have someone come into your home, which would be like a pet sitter. There are large kennel facilities; in our area, there are several different companies that manage those. We have boarding facilities here at our office, and there are other veterinary clinics that offer some boarding. So there are various choices; it just depends on what you feel is going to meet your needs and your pet's needs.
Is boarding safe for dogs?
Generally, yes. Can dogs develop stress diarrhea because they're not at home? Absolutely. Sometimes we'll have dogs that, because they like to bark a lot when they're in boarding, when they go home, they're a little bit hoarse. But generally, they're well cared for. We provide the food, water, shelter, and take them for walks and so forth. We try to care for your pet just like it were our own.
How do I know if my dog is a good candidate for boarding?
It really depends on whether your dog is personable with other people, which, for most people, it's going to be yes, absolutely. Does your dog interact well with other dogs? That type of thing. On the other hand, if your dog is more like, "Gosh, I don't like to step out of the house, I don't like to meet new people or strangers," then maybe that's where a pet sitter might be more appropriate. But again, you know your dog, and generally, they do quite well.
Are there dogs that should not be boarded?
Absolutely. Obviously, if your dog is sick, such as coughing or vomiting and diarrhea, those are not conditions that we would recommend boarding with. There are also some dogs that, because of their personality, don't acclimate well with new people or new surroundings and, frankly, can become aggressive. Again, that's probably not the best situation to board that kind of dog.
What should I do to prepare my dog for boarding?
Really, there's not a whole lot that you have to do. You basically want to gather up their food, any medications that they're on, and if there are specific needs that they have, such as medication given at a certain time or the food split up in a certain feeding pattern, we'd certainly want to know that. We'd ask that you type that out, and most other facilities will just require basic information. Obviously, if they have a favorite blanket or a special toy or certain treats they'll just go for, that would help us. We want to make them feel comfortable and at home.
What do I need to bring for my dog to the boarding facility to make them more comfortable?
You can bring blankets, treats, any certain toy that might be their favorite—anything that they are comfortable with that will make them feel more comfortable being here.
What information should I share with the boarding facility before I leave?
We need contact information, where you're at, and how to get a hold of you in case there's an emergency. Obviously, if you're scheduled, say, for example, to have your pet picked up on March 7th and you're not here on March 7th, we're going to get in contact with you to see if there's a situation or if the boarding needs to be extended. As I alluded to before, any special needs that your pet has, such as medications, special food, or special handling—for example, if you have an older dog with severe osteoarthritis, maybe they take longer or need assistance in getting up—just general things to help us make your pet happy and feel comfortable.
What happens if there is an emergency while my dog is boarded?
So, when that happens, we normally will talk to a vet right away and then contact the owner afterward to get approval for any treatment that we would need to do, and we go from there.
What should I do if my dog has separation anxiety?
Obviously, you need to come and talk to the veterinarian because there are medications that we can use, such as fluoxetine or clomipramine. There are different things that we can do to alleviate that, and there are various degrees of separation anxiety—some can be mild, some moderate, and some can be quite severe. It doesn't mean that we always have to treat, but if you think that your dog has that, let us know, and we can go over it with you and discuss treatment options.
How will the boarding facility handle my dog's special needs or medical conditions?
When it comes down to that, we make sure that the dogs are accommodated correctly and put them in special places to ensure they are watched all the time. We make sure they get all of the medication and everything they need.
How do I manage my dog's diet and feeding schedule while they're boarding?
If a dog has a special diet, we will keep them on that diet. Sometimes there are dogs that, when they are boarding, may not eat very well, so we do have certain canned foods that we will try to mix in, such as ID, EN, and sometimes AD, to entice them to eat.
How far in advance should I book a spot for my dog at the boarding facility?
As soon as you know, we recommend that you book, especially if you're looking to book around holiday season—Thanksgiving, New Year's, Christmas—those tend to fill up fairly quickly. We have people that will book things out sometimes six months in advance. Once you know for sure, book, and that way you know that you're covered.
Boarding
Because we are a hospital, we like to keep our boarding facility small so we can give the utmost care to every single one of our patients in the clinic. We monitor your pet while they are boarding with us to ensure there are no concerns with eating or potty habits. We also offer playtime and trail walks for an additional fee, to give them extra exercise or socialization if you prefer!
We do provide Hills Science Diet Sensitive Stomach as well as Purina EN Low Fat Gastro-Intestinal foods. If your pet has a sensitive stomach, we do recommend bringing their own food to prevent any loose stools. Stress diarrhea is very common in boarding situations simply because they are away from home and they miss their families! We are cautious about their care and it is our goal to prevent any medical concerns while your pet is staying with us.
Holiday Boarding
Our boarding facilities are small, availability is limited during holidays and holiday weekends. Because of this, we require a non-refundable deposit at the time of reservation of $50 to hold your pet’s spot. That deposit will go towards your final bill when you pick your pet up. If you cancel your reservation or do not show up, the deposit is forfeited.
Daycare
We offer daycare for established clients that need to drop their pet off during the day due to schedules or simply for socialization. It’s a great option for puppies, or lonely pets while their owner’s are at work. Please keep in mind that while we are proud to offer this service, we are not a boarding/daycare specific facility. During daycare, your pet will go outside three times to potty (more if time allowing) and once to experience socialized or unsocialized playtime.
Daycare is provided in our boarding facility and space is limited so reservations must be scheduled ahead of time. Trail walks and play time is also provided during daycare hours. Daycare pets must be picked up prior to closing time.
If you have questions, we would love to answer them for you. Please give us a call at the office at (402) 489-0501, or you can email us at staff@vhvet.com. Our staff would love to talk with you!
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