Why NOT To Board Your Dog At A Vet’s Hospital

It’s pretty simple really, boarding your dog at a Vet Clinic is like stay at Grady Hospital when you come to Atlanta for a vacay.

Same as Grady and a Vet Clinic they earnestly do their best to keep germs from one person / pet to the other. But it is common for handwashing to be subpar. It JUST happens. Despite best efforts.

If a Vet has a boarding facility in a standalone building with a dedicated / single-purpose job taking care of the critters, go ahead! It’s not a “thing” with it being a VET doing the boarding!

It’s pretty simple really, boarding your dog at a Vet Clinic is like stay at Grady Hospital when you come to Atlanta for a vacay.

The other thing I  *have* noticed is (in rare instances or not-so-rare instances) Vets who make a pass through the clinic and identify things they want to treat, half-the-time without owner’s prior consent. Chances are when you dropped off for boarding you signed a document that cleared the way for exams and treatments based on perceived need.

A complete dermatology work up on pets, whether the dog’s already under care for it, or not. How would the boarding-vet know?

So you might bring a dog to the boarding-vet and take a pet home with an examination fee, and some medicine for an ear infection, itching, flea prevention, or extra shots that he seemed to be ‘needing’ whether you think so or not.

The other consideration in boarding-vets is that staff has their attention divided between Kennel and Clinic and besides transmission of conditions from exam room to Kennel, there’s the issue of dogs being walked very briefly, in the morning and  at the end of the day, and between cases. It’s long enough to go out, do their business and come back in. It’s not like they get playtime, long walks or even off-lead relaxation. It’s a ‘thing’ and it’s been the case at most vet clinics.

 

Dr Erik Johnson is a Marietta, Georgia Veterinarian with a practice in small animal medicine. He graduated from University of Georgia with his Doctorate in 1991. Dr Johnson is the author of several texts on Koi and Pond Fish Health and Disease as well as numerous articles on dog and cat health topics.