Mary Allen
A health check and a few precautions can save your pet – and their sitter – unnecessary fuss and hassle while you’re away. So you can go on holiday with peace of mind
The well-deserved vacation is coming up. Finally out of the daily routine. The anticipation is great. Just the thought of the beloved animal that is left behind at home – cared for by friends, neighbors, or in an animal boarding house – dampens the joy a little. Will my darling be okay? Will he be well taken care of? What if something unforeseen happens? My animal might even get sick…? Don’t worry too much! Your pet will survive the temporary separation safely – and will be all the happier when you have really relaxed and recovered and come back from vacation with renewed strength. So that you can enjoy your vacation without worries, in the following article we will tell you what you should think about, arrange and do before your trip in terms of health and how you can prepare your sitter in case the worst comes to the worst. Animals are extremely sensitive, they get used to fixed daily routines and enjoy the familiar closeness of their people. But they are also amazingly able to temporarily adapt to unfamiliar situations without really suffering from them. The only requirement is that they are well cared for – given food, care, and attention and staying healthy. Ensuring this is the job of your pet sitter or pet boarding facility – but also your own. By making the necessary preparations and creating the conditions.
Check Up At The Vet
If your pet is generally healthy and alert, it is extremely unlikely that it will get sick when you are on vacation. Nevertheless: Try to avoid this case of cases by taking precautions as far as possible. With all animal species, it goes without saying that a thorough “care session” is scheduled before the holiday. Claws have to be trimmed, teeth and beaks checked, the coat thoroughly brushed again, possibly even washed, the ears cleaned, etc. In this way, you avoid “cosmetic” blemishes becoming a serious problem for your darling and the sitter while you’re away.
A Valid Vaccination
In the case of the cat, it must be ensured in any case that all vaccinations are complete and also valid during the period of your absence. This is particularly important if the animal is not cared for at home but by a sitter or in an animal boarding house and comes into contact with other animals there. Pet boarding houses require their four-legged guests to have valid vaccinations and proof of this – make sure in good time whether these requirements are met so that there are no problems when “checking in”. By the way: In addition to the usual vaccinations, certificates for special diseases (e.g. FIP) are often required for cats. Find out at an early stage which examinations are necessary and have them carried out.
Adequate Protection Against Worms, Fleas, And Ticks
It also makes sense to have a treatment against worms and ectoparasites such as fleas and ticks. If your animal is already infected, or the parasite infestation is already advanced, your darling can not only infect other animals but also become seriously ill itself. Preventive worming and measures against fleas and ticks can save both your pet and the sitter unnecessary excitement and a visit to the veterinarian.
Leave The Vet’s Phone Number
Just in case, you should give your sitter the telephone number and address of your veterinarian – and inform them that your pet will be cared for by a sitter during the holiday period. It would be ideal if you also wrote down the telephone number of an experienced animal owner who can serve as a contact person in exceptional emergencies or in cases of doubt.
For Chronically Ill Velvet Paws
A special case is when your animal suffers from a chronic illness, requires regular treatment, is allergic, or is particularly susceptible to certain illnesses, such as kidney disease, heart failure, an allergy to insect bites, gastrointestinal problems, or diabetes. In these cases, a visit to the veterinarian before departure is absolutely essential. Discuss with your veterinarian what you and the sitter need to pay particular attention to and what information the sitter or guest house needs to receive. Get a prescription for a sufficient supply of medication or diet food. Show the sitter exactly how to administer any medication. Giving pills or injecting insulin should be practiced several times by the sitter under your supervision. Before you leave, write down exactly what medicines you need to take – how, how often, when, and in what quantity – and what you need to pay attention to when it comes to your diet. Also, write down any signs that the condition may be getting worse or becoming serious. Explain to the sitter what to look out for and what symptoms should be taken as warning signs.
Avoid Changes
In general, it should be avoided that your animal is exposed to too large and avoidable changes during your vacation. Therefore, build a supply of the usual food so that the sitter does not have to buy different food, the diet is not changed and leads to indigestion. Make a note of the sitter which foods need to be bought fresh (e.g. fruit, vegetables) and what your pet’s diet looks like. The same applies to hygiene and cleaning the litter box. Here, too, the usual bedding should be available in sufficient quantity, and a sudden change should be avoided. If everything is arranged and prepared so far, you don’t have to worry about the health of your animal during your absence. Your darling is fit and alert, checked and strengthened and well looked after and in good hands even in – hardly to be expected – exceptional situations.