Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Holiday travel

Are you traveling this holiday season?

How does this impact your furred & feathered kids?

Well, even your scaly ones..............most fish and reptiles do great if left at home. If gone for more than a few days, have a neighbor or friend come and check on these guys. Make sure not to change the thermostat too much. Ambient temperatures are very important for management of most caged pets.

Small furry friends can often handle 1-2 days by themselves. Make sure caged mammals have plenty of food and water or have a friend come check them daily.

Cats and rabbits can also do well at home, but generally a daily visit to clean litterboxes & replenish food is warranted. Some cats do best if someone sleeps at the house. My orange kitties, Heather, Roland & Antoine, would probably not be able to handle more than a day without a lap!

House bunnies and cats handle cold ok, and most rabbits actually prefer colder temperatures than we do, so this is a time you could turn down thermostats.

Now dogs are a different story! Most dogs left to their own devices for more than 12 hours, just get themselves in trouble. Even if paper or litter trained, the average dog couldn't handle that much alone time without chewing something, scratching something or just going a little stir crazy.

With such a social species, boarding, daycare or a housesitter are the best options for leaving your dog. Or how about taking them? Many hotels allow dogs, and if properly crate trained & socialized, dogs are good travelers. Bring a crate along---dogs look at their crate as a portable bedroom, where they can sleep & relax in a familiar surroundings.

If you board your dog, find a reputable kennel or ask your veterinarian. At All-Pets Hospital on Second Ave, we provide large kennels or runs for the dogs and allow playtime outside in a fenced yard 4 times a day. Dogs with appropriate temperaments also get some playtime with the All-Pets pack. Our pack consists of 3-5 of our staff's dogs, ranging in size from Chihuahua Lobo to Berner Garbo. Our behavioral specialist, Rachel, always evaluates dogs in the pack to make choices on who gets along with who. She may even do some clicker training to add some skills to your dog's repertoire!

Of course, we also board cats, rabbits and even the occasional bird!

Call us at 515-262-8535 for more information.

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