Can You Board A Dog Recovering From Surgery?

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Is it okay to board your dog after they've received surgery? There isn't a clear yes or no answer to this question, and a lot of it depends on the nature of your dog's surgery, along with when the surgery was performed. Once your pooch is on the road to recovery, it should be fine to board your dog without jeopardizing their recovery, as long as certain considerations are followed.

A Specialized Facility

There are a number of specialized pet boarding facilities intended to care for dogs who are recovering from surgery. These are aimed at owners whose work commitments mean that they might be unable to monitor their dog's recovery. You could ask your vet for a recommendation, and in any event, you should talk to your vet before boarding a dog recovering from surgery. While the boarding itself shouldn't be an issue once your pet is on the road to recovery (although it's not practical immediately following surgery), your vet might be able to give you additional instructions to pass onto the boarding facility.

Special Considerations

When enquiring with a potential boarding facility, you must inform them that your dog is still in the process of recovery and will need certain special considerations. This doesn't mean that you necessarily have to find a specialized facility since any boarding kennel should be able to accommodate these extra considerations. What type of considerations will your dog need?

• They will need their own enclosure, minimizing their contact with other dogs. Playtime can aggravate your dog's injuries and potentially compromise their immune system if one of the other dogs happened to be unwell.
• Your dog will need solo, gentle exercise. This should only involve a daily walk, with the duration and terrain not straining your dog too much. 
• Bath time should be avoided while your dog is boarding, unless absolutely essential. You don't want unnecessary handling to stress your dog, and any stitches must remain absolutely dry.
• Any postoperative medication must be administered, and any special dietary restrictions must be followed. 

Contactable

Access to any necessary veterinary care should also be discussed. Some facilities might have an on-staff vet, but the absence of one shouldn't be a dealbreaker. An on-call vet should be sufficient, and the facility should also have the contact details for your own vet (including an after-hours emergency number). Additionally, you will need to be contactable in case of an emergency. As a backup (such as if you're likely to be non-contactable at any stage while you're away), you should provide contact details for a family member or friend who knows your dog, in case any urgent action should be required while your dog is at the boarding facility.

As you can see, it's not dangerous to board your dog while they're still recovering from surgery but only when your dog can receive a high level of care. Talk to a pet boarding facility for more information.

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11 December 2020