Boarding Your Pet in Massachusetts: How to Prepare Your Pet
The holiday season often means trips out of town for days at a time to a location where many pets cannot come along. Unless you are lucky enough to have a trusted friend, neighbor, or family member who can provide care, feeding, and attention to your pet, you might need to take them to a boarding facility. New Bedford pet owners should start searching for a quality boarding facility ahead of time, reserving space for their pets and making sure that they understand all of the rules. Establishing good training habits for pets can also be helpful when boarding your pet in Massachusetts. A visit to your local animal hospital in Dartmouth may also be in order to ensure that your pet is up-to-date on all vaccinations and preventive treatments.
Do a Trial Run
One way to put your mind at ease and prepare your pet for a more extended boarding experience is to do a “trial run” for 24 hours. Contact the boarding facility to schedule a one-day overnight stay so your dog or cat can get used to the facility and so you can have a better understanding of what to expect. This will also help you to become familiar with the requirements of the facility, such as how much food to bring, any bedding items or toys, and ensure that your pet is up-to-date on necessary vaccinations. You might need to get vaccines that you aren’t used to getting to prevent illnesses and diseases that can be spread in a boarding or daycare situation.
This brief overnight will also help your pet to understand that you will come back to get them. An experience like this can help to reduce anxiety and fears that are common for pets and New Bedford pet owners when boarding. It can also help you to identify new training habits for pets that should be instilled at home, such as becoming better at walking on a leash, indicating when they need to go out, and eating meals in a strange place. A dog or cat that has been a “homebody” for most of their life might be extremely stressed when boarding your pet in Massachusetts for the first time.
Schedule a Vet Appointment
Before you commit to a boarding situation, contact your veterinarian at Anchor Animal Hospital Dartmouth. We can offer tips and suggestions that might help you and your pet to adjust to the experience a lot easier, provide any required vaccinations or written proof of immunizations, and make recommendations for professional training habits for pets that can help during boarding. If your pet has any pests, such as fleas, ticks, or worms, you will need to take care of it ahead of your vacation. You can also get preventive treatments to help ensure that your pet does not come home with any critters after their stay.
Your vet will also be able to provide you with information that might help you to feel better about leaving your pet at a boarding facility. A proper health check-up and any necessary adjustments to diet, feeding schedules, and activity can be helpful for boarding staff as well. In some cases, the veterinarian might even be able to offer suggestions on places to go for boarding your pet in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. New Bedford pet owners who want to make sure that their pet has a positive boarding experience should ask a lot of questions and do everything they can to ensure that the facility they choose has a positive reputation.
Creatures of Comfort
Our pets get used to our schedules – the comings and goings, feeding schedules, sounds, and other activities within our homes. Any disruption of their daily routine can throw them off and cause them to misbehave, skip meals, or have accidents. Speak with the boarding facility about things you can bring that will help them to feel more comfortable, such as a favorite bed, rug, or blanket. Toys can also be helpful, especially if your pet has something special that they have taken ownership of in your home.
Food, treats, and even special bowls or dishes can also be brought along to the boarding facility in many cases. If your pet is taking any vitamins, supplements, or has been prescribed medication by Anchor Animal Hospital Dartmouth, be sure to bring them along with all of the dosing schedule requirements and methods that are used. Some pets take pills inside of pill treats, while others will only take medication wrapped up in a piece of cheese. Consider all of these particulars that your pet needs to feel comfortable while you are away.
Caring for Family Pets Since 1975
Anchor Animal Hospital has earned a solid reputation for providing quality veterinary care, services, and treatments for New Bedford pet owners and pet owners throughout the Southcoast region of Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. We offer general veterinary check-ups, vaccinations, preventive veterinary treatments, emergency services, and other high-quality veterinary care. Give us a call at 508-996-3731 and speak with one of our team members about your pet’s needs.