Upset about dog's recent stay at new vet's kennel

[maddiesmom]

My husband and I recently moved south of boston and chose a local vet based on some recommendations. The vet has a kennel, which was important to us, as we have two weddings this summer and need a place to send her. The first wedding was this past weekend, so my husband dropped her off on Thursday and picked her up last night. When he picked her up, they said she had been great and left it at that.

When he brought her home, within just a few minutes, she had diarrhea all over one of our bedrooms and was listless all night. She smells like urine and has dried feces on her fur near her butt - we're not sure if it was as a result of her accident at home or from the kennel. She continues to be very clingy and had to be taken outside at 4am and again this morning with more diarrhea.

This morning, my husband pulled out her bag that went with her, filled with food, pills and treats. In it, he found a chart of her stay that specifically said she had a "loose bowel" on Sunday -- WTF???? They never said a word! I'm horrified at her condition and feel terribly guilty for having sent her there. Am I within my right to call them this morning and demand an explanation? Or am I overreacting and she could have just been sulking from being away from home for four days? We've sent her to kennels (other ones near our previous home in Somerville) before and she has never come home like this.

[Troy]

You have every right to call and question what has happened here. You bet I would be on the phone immediately!

Be very firm and demand answers. I'd be so mad I'd probably go in person.

[TrishB]

I would take a deep breath, calm down a little and then call.

It could have been that the person at the desk hadn't been the person to take care of her. And therefore, wouldn't have known that there was a problem. Yes, they should have told you, but it could have been a disconnect in the kennel help informing the vet and office staff.

Simply - you may be yelling at the messenger, not the person that didn't forward the information.

I would ask to talk to the vet. Tell them that your dog had diarrhea and that it was marked on her charts. You should have been told. Most vets will send home some medication to help clear up the diarrhea if they know about it.

This may be a problem with their staff that they're not aware of - so try not to be angry right away. See what their explanation is. They'll probably appreciate your telling them.

[Patty1231]

They're never going to admit they did anything wrong with your dog. If you want to call just to blow off steam, go ahead, but it most likely won't do any good. Just don't take your dog back there and tell anyone who asks that you had a bad experience with them.

[Judi W]

They did let you know - on the sheet in your bag. And as mentioned, the desk person is rarely the kennel person. Relax.

Something to think about however.

I would suggest you select a vet based on medical care, not whether they do boarding. Then visit local boarding facilities and select one based upon how they are run.

[Judy Chrusch]

Oh you poor thing, I'd be more then angry . Unfortunately this happens alot, though in alot of kennels they bathe the dog before they return home. Giving a dog back in those conditions is simply unexcuseable and I question the cleanliness of the facility. Many times I have found that boarding at a vets isn't the same IOW, at a kennel persay, that's what they primarily do so they're more likely to be more cautious and clean.

I would have a whole list of questions not to mention perhaps the Board of Health should take a look. Did you go through the facility before you boarded her bc though it was recommended to you, not everyone cares about things as you do and MOST of us do.

These are the kinds of things that makes me sick and is why I'm glad I chose to be a petsiter and it's the very reason my clients DON'T board their dogs bc most of them did at some point and time do so and now have me bc of horror stories such as yours.

You must follow through and find out why she was returned to you so dirty and as far as the diarrhea, that may be from stress but still would check out things and even go in person and take a look for yourself. Not all kennels have inside and out runs so she may have had to hold her bowels so that's another thing you want to check out.

Even though this facility was recommended to you, always check it out yourself, and maybe you did but I'm so sorry you had to go through this bc if it were me, well I can't tell you what I'd do .

I so wish you lived near me bc Maddie would be treated like a Queen as all my dogs are, well some are King's . Anyway, get the answers you need and find yourself another kennel for next time. ANY kennel that you may chose, go check it our yourself, go through the whole place and don't let them tell you you can't, now there may be specific times that they will allow this which is o.k bc afterall they have a job to do but make sure wherever you go that you're happy with it and they can assure you good care. Also ask if she will be bathed before your return . Let us know how things are going with Maddie, I'm so sorry for you and her .

Judy

Originally Posted by Troy

You have every right to call and question what has happened here. You bet I would be on the phone immediately!

Be very firm and demand answers. I'd be so mad I'd probably go in person.

[maddiesmom]

Thank you all for the advice. I did call the kennel and asked -- very nicely and calmly -- for follow-up regarding the stay. They called back and immediately asked "is she still having problems with the loose bowels?" So at least they were concerned. I told them that while I appreciated the call back, that I was very bothered by the fact that my husband wasn't told directly that Maddie had problems yesterday. Not surprisingly, they did mention that their kennel folks aren't hospital staff and that they wouldn't know --okay, I can appreciate that. They then told me that the vet saw Maddie Sunday morning, noticed the loose bowels and gave her a shot and a doggie form of peptobismal, extras of which they left in her supplies for me.

Now, I'm really bothered. I didn't know about the shot, and there was nothing written on her chart to that effect. The chart did say something about the meds, but unless I was a vet myself, I wouldn't have known that she had received them, nor that I was to keep giving these completely random pills to her - they were unmarked and there were no instructions.

This all left a bad taste in my mouth, as I explained to the vet's assistant. I appreciate the care that Maddie immediately received, but someone should have either left us a detailed note with her chart about the shot and instructing us to give her meds, or (since the vet-side was closed yesterday) called me first thing this morning or left a message upon giving her the meds to notify us. I feel like if I hadn't called myself, I never would have known.

I'd appreciate feedback from any professional vets out there as to whether this is standard procedure or if I have a cause to be concerned.

[poohbearsmom]

Lot's of times, dogs will get stress related diarhrea while being boarded... they're not in their own "environment", and this can sometimes be enough to break the dam.

Unfortunately, most veterinary hospitals are not really equipped to do give quality boarding services - especially over a weekend... they have a tech come in for an hour or two, once or twice a day to clean, walk and feed, and then they're gone. In addition - there are sick dogs at a vet clinic being boarded right along with YOUR dog..... Cross contamination can easily occur.

When choosing a boarding facility, ask about yard/play time. The dogs should be exercised several times a day (3 to 4) to help alleviate the stress of being kenneled in a strange place with strange smells and strange dogs.

Boarding does NOT have to be a terrible experience, but I agree with Judi - choose your vet based upon medical qualifications - and a boarding facility based on their ability to care for your animal in the most stress free manner possible.

Hope this helps you.

[Judi W]

I would also say that if she smelled like poop and pee from the kennel, you would have noticed it in the car on the way home. That means the odor most likely occured after you brought her home and she was sick there.

[rottsnroses]

Originally Posted by poohbearsmom

Unfortunately, most veterinary hospitals are not really equipped to give quality boarding services - especially over a weekend... they have a tech come in for an hour or two, once or twice a day to clean, walk and feed, and then they're gone. In addition - there are sick dogs at a vet clinic being boarded right along with YOUR dog..... Cross contamination can easily occur.

These are exactly the reasons why I would not board my dog at my vets. I love our vet, but I'd much rather take them to doggie daycare or the doggie resort that specialize in boarding and have scheduled activities for the dogs. The dogs come home much happier and healthier.

[BostonRott]

Anyone in the area that comes recommended as a pet sitter? If I knew someone, I'd recommend them.