Modern life often requires pet parents to go places where they can’t safely take their beloved pets, so they may need to board them. Here, our Erin vets discuss medical boarding for pets, how it differs from other options, and when it is ideal for your pet.
Pet Care Options While You're Away
If you are going to be gone for a prolonged period and can’t take your pet with you, there are 3 standard categories of pet care: sitting, pet boarding, and medical pet boarding.
Pet Sitter
Pet sitting is much like having a babysitter for humans. Your pet sitter can be a professional that you hire or a friend or family member. The level of service from a pet server can vary. The primary role of a sitter is to check on your pet periodically and dispense food, take care of their bathroom breaks, and provide social playtime.
Pet Boarding
Pet boarding is a service where you take your pets to be taken care of. You may be more familiar with the other name for pet boarding which is a kennel. In recent years the level of service available has increased significantly. Some places are bare bones and will take care of your pet's essential needs, while others are more like going to summer camp with a range of activities to keep them occupied, and others are more like spas for pets to be pampered to their heart's content.
Since service can vary we recommend that pet owners check out any facility to ensure it is where they would like to leave their pet.
Medical Pet Boarding
Medical pet boarding is similar to regular pet boarding with an added perk. Medical pet boarding comes with the supervision of a vet and their staff.
Pets That Require Medical Pet Boarding
The three types of pets that are highly recommended for medical pet boarding are pets with pre-existing conditions, extremely young pets, and senior pets.
Medical boarding is for pets that may need extra care or have existing medical conditions. A pet sitter or normal boarding facility may not be trained properly to administer medications, especially if it involves needles. This is a major advantage of medical boarding; the staff is trained professionals who can understand your pet's medical history and give medication and adjust doses if there are issues. They also know what symptoms to watch for based on your pet's medical condition/history.
Requirements for Medical Pet Boarding
Most regular pet boarding requires that the pet being boarded is vaccinated with a list of required vaccines. They will also state whether or not you are allowed to bring toys, bedding, or food for your pet. With most medical boarding the rule still holds for the vaccination requirement but double-check with them to see what their policy for vaccination is for pets being medically boarded.
While locations may allow toys and bedding from home for pets under normal boarding circumstances they may or may not allow it for the pet that is being medically boarded, for the reason of keeping the environment hygienic. Double-check the specifics of the policies on medical boarding at your chosen boarding facility.
You will be expected to bring any medication your pets in currently prescribed. It is often recommended that you bring your pet's food, especially if it is a diet prescribed by your vet.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. Please make an appointment with your vet for an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition.
