Here are a few common issues you can see after a pet returns from boarding or daycare!

“Buddy came home from boarding and ate a ton of food! Was he fed during his stay?”

Of course, Buddy was fed according to feeding instructions left on your Boarding Form at check-in.  If food was not brought with Buddy he was feed high-quality Purina Veterinary Diet EN- Sensitive Stomach food.

Occasionally pets do not eat as much while they are boarding as they do at home and when they return home may eat more than “normal” to catch up.

At Day Care pets are not fed lunch and can work up a healthy appetite while playing. It is normal for them to be hungry upon returning home.

“Dixie drank a whole bowl of water when we got home! Did she have access to water while boarding?”

All pets have constant access to water while boarding. Just as with food some dogs are more comfortable while in their own surroundings and can drink a bit more upon returning home.

While pets visit us for grooming or bathing, the water is removed from their kennel for a short while when they are drying but is replaced when that process has finished.

“Maggie slept the entire day after bringing her home! Is that normal?”

There is usually a lot of activity going on in our hospital throughout the day. Maggie went outside and played multiple times a day and is likely worn out from all the excitement of her stay.

Sometimes your pet’s sleeping pattern does change while they are boarding. It can take some extra napping to catch up on sleep missed while they were checking out all the action going on in our hospital. Usually, after 24 hours your pet’s sleeping habits will return to normal.

“Duncan is having some loose stool and has defecated a few extra times since being home! Was he let out during his stay?”

Your pet was let out multiple times a day. Just as with food and water some pet’s routines can differ while they board and upon returning home their bathroom habits may take 24 hours to resume to normal.

If your pet had presented with loose stool while boarding we would have contacted you immediately to start medications to improve this. While your pet boards with us they are under our veterinarian’s constant supervision and steps can be taken immediately to contact you and start treatment if anything should arise.

Some pets can experience a lot of excitement while returning home which can cause some colitis. Secondly, if your pet’s diet was switched while boarding upon returning to their regular diet some colitis can be experienced. Some owners opt to take home some medications if this is a common occurrence in their pets upon returning home.

Three Rivers Animal Hospital takes all precautions when pets are boarding at our facility cleaning with Rescue Cleaner and quickly removing feces from the yard after walks.

While loose stool can be common when your pet returns home from boarding if it is extreme or continues over 24 hours please contact our clinic.