[Tweety Bird]

After a long stay in a kennel, I noticed my dog getting sicker and sicker. Throwing up several days and diarehea. I took him to a vet and was presented with all the testing options. It was a HUGE bill and I felt it best to put him on the health plan with the vet. No choice. The bill, with medications would have been $900+. It brought the bill down to $325. Not only did I have the kennel bill but also the vet bill. Holy toledo! I won't mention the kennel and please don't ask. But, my reason for this thread is to ask those who have left their animal in kennels, if they also had a similar experience??? I think from now on, I will leave him either with a private sitter or have someone come in and walk him several times a day. It would have been more reasonable for me to have done this and he wouldn't have been exposed to "whatever" goes on in kennels.

[redwitch]

I'm sorry this happened to you and your pupperface. Hopefully, all is well now.

Did you call the kennel about the problem? A good one would at least offer to refund the kennel fees or pay some of the vet bills. If you know what the problem is, it would also give them a chance to clean up whatever might have been the cause.

I've never been a fan of kennels. Back when I had dogs, I did leave my most beloved Aghan in a kennel for one week. It took $1,500 (in 1987 dollars) to get her back in good health. From then on, if I could avoid it, I wouldn't even leave my pets at the vet overnight -- kennel cough is common; so are a myriad of other illnesses left over from previous pets. It seems that no matter how clean a kennel is, the risk of something is still there. Sometimes the fault of the kennel not cleaning the cages and other areas well enough; sometimes just bad luck.

[K9-Lovers]

Before you board your dog in a kennel, listen to see if they ask you for proof of vaccinations and other precautions (like worm tests) are required. Then, ask them how that is enforced and how they keep up-to-date records with their doggie clients.

Find out how many times a day the dog is taken out of the kennel/run and actually taken for a walk outside.

Will the establishment give your dog food that you provide in lieu of feeding their own brand? A change of food can upset a dog's stomach.

If you board your dog at a veterinarian, be sure that the boarding dogs are kept in separate rooms from the other dogs. You don't want your dog in the same room with dogs that are at the vet because they are sick.

Dogs get very bored, frustrated and nervous when they are in a kennel, especially for a long period. They don't understand that you will be returning for them. They are surrounded by other unhappy dogs that bark constantly trying to tell someone to let them out of "jail". Dogs that spend a long time in a kennel will often forget their housebreaking manners, and suffer emotional trauma for a long time after coming home. The emotional trauma could cause vomiting and diarrhea for several days.

It is not good for a dog to be in a kennel for extended periods. That is why rescue groups find foster homes for dogs until a permanent home is found.

If you can find a "cageless" facility with a large play area that would be best. However, when the dogs are loose in a playgroup they must be monitored 100% of the time. Ask the ratio of "monitors" to dogs, it shouldn't be less than one person for 15 dogs. Dogs should be separated into playgroups according to size and temperment. (Old dogs and young puppies, even though the same size, are not good companions, and timid dogs with rambunctious dogs is not ideal, either. And, you never want your little dog in with big dogs -- accidents happen). The dogs should be put in separate kennels for sleeping and eating.

If you choose to keep your dog at home and use a pet sitter, the dog will be very lonely.

Instead, find someone who stays at home (doesn't work full time) and will take your dog into their own home. Before you take him to his new home-away-from-home, let him stay with that new person in their home a couple of times for 4 hour periods each (yes, you will be paying for that). This way, the dog learns that you will be coming back to pick them up, and they also get to know the person that will be caring for them. This way, you can be sure that your dog gets along with the caretaker and any other animals in that household. If your dog is not eager to return to the caretaker after a couple of 4-hour test visits, then find another caretaker.

When you finally leave your dog, take along their own bed and something that is familiar like a favorite toy, or their regular dog dish. Also take something that smells like you, like a t-shirt that hasn't been washed or a sock that needs laundering. Give the caretaker your dog's regular food, but don't just hand over a big bag of food. Separate each meal into small baggies. That way, the caretaker will know how much to feed your dog at mealtime.

Hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have any questions.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by K9-Lovers

Before you board your dog in a kennel, listen to see if they ask you for proof of vaccinations and other precautions (like worm tests) are required. Then, ask them how that is enforced and how they keep up-to-date records with their doggie clients.

Find out how many times a day the dog is taken out of the kennel/run and actually taken for a walk outside.

Will the establishment give your dog food that you provide in lieu of feeding their own brand? A change of food can upset a dog's stomach.

If you board your dog at a veterinarian, be sure that the boarding dogs are kept in separate rooms from the other dogs. You don't want your dog in the same room with dogs that are at the vet because they are sick.

Dogs get very bored, frustrated and nervous when they are in a kennel, especially for a long period. They don't understand that you will be returning for them. They are surrounded by other unhappy dogs that bark constantly trying to tell someone to let them out of "jail". Dogs that spend a long time in a kennel will often forget their housebreaking manners, and suffer emotional trauma for a long time after coming home. The emotional trauma could cause vomiting and diarrhea for several days.

It is not good for a dog to be in a kennel for extended periods. That is why rescue groups find foster homes for dogs until a permanent home is found.

If you can find a "cageless" facility with a large play area that would be best. However, when the dogs are loose in a playgroup they must be monitored 100% of the time. Ask the ratio of "monitors" to dogs, it shouldn't be less than one person for 15 dogs. Dogs should be separated into playgroups according to size and temperment. (Old dogs and young puppies, even though the same size, are not good companions, and timid dogs with rambunctious dogs is not ideal, either. And, you never want your little dog in with big dogs -- accidents happen). The dogs should be put in separate kennels for sleeping and eating.

If you choose to keep your dog at home and use a pet sitter, the dog will be very lonely.

Instead, find someone who stays at home (doesn't work full time) and will take your dog into their own home. Before you take him to his new home-away-from-home, let him stay with that new person in their home a couple of times for 4 hour periods each (yes, you will be paying for that). This way, the dog learns that you will be coming back to pick them up, and they also get to know the person that will be caring for them. This way, you can be sure that your dog gets along with the caretaker and any other animals in that household. If your dog is not eager to return to the caretaker after a couple of 4-hour test visits, then find another caretaker.

When you finally leave your dog, take along their own bed and something that is familiar like a favorite toy, or their regular dog dish. Also take something that smells like you, like a t-shirt that hasn't been washed or a sock that needs laundering. Give the caretaker your dog's regular food, but don't just hand over a big bag of food. Separate each meal into small baggies. That way, the caretaker will know how much to feed your dog at mealtime.

Hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have any questions.

[missypie]

I am so sorry to hear of this tweetybird! You've gotten good advice here and I think it will help us all while we need to go places and leave our loved ones at home.

I also think you should go back to the kennel and telll them what happened. This should have never happened!!!! Hope you baby is better soon.

[vj1213]

My little yorkie will be 10 in Nov., I have left him in a kennel 2 times (and these were nice places that you had to provide all info about shots, illnesses, etc.) both times he got so sick, throwing up, wouldn't eat...I had to take him to the vet. After that I have hired a pet sitter to either stay in my home or I would take him to their home...I have been very fortunate with my sitters. It cost a bit more, but worth every penny.

[graciegirl]

It is like sending your child to kindergarten and they come home sick. It is a real risk to have your child with kids you don't know.

[Tom Hannon]

Hi VJ1213.

My wife is a great animal person. A retired school teacher, she plans on being a pet sitter when we settle in. We have a cat. (Lost our Lab last year) Possibly we can trade off services (free) when either you or us need to be away for a long time.

[Tweety Bird]

Thank you for your replies, advice and support. Our mini dachshund is doing so much better. We have him on a bland diet and I won't be putting him in a kennel again. Very wise advice K9. I didn't realize how sensitive animals are in contracting things. I just didn't know it all. He's seems normal again and pooping nicely. More replies are welcome.

[Ohiogirl]

Now that we are moving down (as snowbirds) this fall, we really don't want to put our 12 yr old dog in a new kennel when we travel. So - we're going to try this solution for the 2 trips we have planned this winter.

We have several friends/relatives who have hinted about coming to visit us (as happens when you live in Florida and are moving from cold country). So - I am lining up dog/house sitters. I already have a couple lined up for our Feb. cruise and will start looking for a commitment for an expected Jan. trip as soon as I get it booked.

We will probably need to supplement these with local dogsitters in TV, but am hoping we can trade off with some neighbors for a couple of days here and there. Since we live in a CYV neighborhood, many of our neighbors have dogs.

There are other threads about visitors, and I am in the group that likes to have visitors, but a 3-4 day visit is my preference. I figure we can visit for a day or two before we leave, then can get them a resident guest pass while we're gone and hope that it will be one of those win/win situations.

[getdul981]

We have left our two girls (miniature longhair dachshunds) at the kennel many times. They have occasionally come home from the Bed and Breakfast (as it is called) and had some minor problem. The major one is that one got tonsilitis or laryngitis or something. She would go to bark and it would come out kinda like a whisper. She's the type that barks whenever another dog barks, so you can imagine how many times she barked over a 2 week stay.

When we first took them, they would occasionally get diarrheah. The vet told us that usually this will happen if they are left for 4 days or more. We had been gone 4 days that time. He gave (sold) us some pills that we send with them every time should they develop any signs, but never have again.

They have gotten to wherer they love to go and the staff there seem to enjoy having them. Whenever we need to take them, we say to them "Let's go see Donna" and they go crazy. Don't know if it's the word "go" or "Donna".

We just hope we can find someone as good when we get moved to TV.

[zcaveman]

My pets hated the kennels. I always made sure they had all of their shots and I sent all of the dog and cat food and medicines with them along with detailed instructions. I made sure that the kennels had on-hands petting time and walking time. One kennel charged me an extra $1 for each walk but Bart needed his walks so I did not mind. All of the kennels I used had separate rooms/cages for each pet so they were only close by proximity.

We never had problems but the stays were very seldom and usually short (2-3 days).

Sorry you had so many problems.