Now That Your Dog Is Home
When you pick up your dog he will be very excited to see you. Here are some helpful hints to help make the transition back to home as smooth as possible.
Your dog may be a little hoarse due to communicating with other boarding guests. This temporary irritation should dissipate in 1-2 weeks.
When dogs are very excited they may to drink large amounts of water very quickly, which may cause them to vomit. Please pace your dog’s water by giving them small amounts at a time or by giving them ice cubes for the first few hours at home.
It is best not to feed your pet for at least 4 hours after he returns home. Excitement can cause a dog to pant heavily which can result in a loss of hydration or loose bowels.
Remedies for Upset Stomach and Diarrhea
If your dog does develop loose bowels, we recommend starting your dog on a bland diet. A bland diet would consist of boiled chicken or hamburger and boiled brown rice. Feed them small amounts of this combination three to four times a day for a couple of days. Plain or vanilla yogurt may be added to this bland diet to help boost up the “good bacteria” in their intestines and stomach. Only use a small amount, no more than 1 Tbs per feeding. Feed the bland diet for a couple of days, and slowly begin to add in their regular diet.
Canned pumpkin is another remedy. Pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, helps firm up a dog’s stools and helps when they are constipated. Pureed canned pumpkin contains large amounts of fiber, Vitamins A and C, and beta carotene. The high amount of fiber is a natural binding complex that will absorb the excess liquid that is in the intestines. It will also replace lost electrolytes that they can lose during diarrhea and the vitamins will help hydrate their system with water. Some pet owners report that it firms up their dog’s loose stools within a few hours and it only takes a little bit. Most dogs seem to like the pumpkin and it is easy to administer for their owners. For a dog up to 15 pounds, give them 1-2 tsp; for a dog 15 – 35 pounds, give them 1 – 2 Tbs and for larger dogs, give them 2 – 5 Tbs.
Please call us after you pick up your pet if you have ANY questions whatsoever. As your pet care provider we want to help.