How To Manage Pet Medication at Daycare
Can pets board overnight while on medication?
Now, this is one of those questions you’ll have to consider as a pet care provider. Advances in veterinary care mean pets enjoy longer lives, usually because of the availability of disease screening and medical treatments. For this reason, even pet daycares must be equipped to handle emergencies and the administration of pet medication at daycare.
Administering Pet Medication at Daycare
Quality pet care providers must have the training and experience needed to track and administer medications for different pets. A few things to consider:
- How to keep pet medication at daycare secure and ensure there are no mix-ups
- How to hold your staff accountable or determine who among your staff can administer the medications
- Is there a record system indicating what medication must be given to which animal and the proper dosage?
- How to handle veterinary emergencies
As you can see, it’s vital to have systems in place to ensure accuracy, consistency, and accountability. For facilities that care for many pets, it may be best to have a designated time to administer medications, for instance, every 8 hours. Such a system is critical to preventing mishaps such as accidental overdoses. That said, leaving some room for flexibility is always a good idea. Some medications, such as insulin and anti-seizure medications, may have to be administered more frequently. The idea here is to ensure every pet in your facility receives the utmost care.
Tips For Pet Medication at Daycare
- The way you administer medication will depend highly on the pet’s temperament. Some clever animals may be able to detect tablets in their food and may need to be tableted manually. Others are so used to syringes and capsules that they make dispensing medicine a breeze.
- Record the time of medication, the amount administered, and to which animal, not only for staff accountability but as an assurance to pet parents.
- Have a designated storage area for medication. Ideally, medications should be kept in a dry environment to prevent them from absorbing moisture.
- Keep extra syringes in your pet care cabinets and have proper medical waste receptacles available in your facility.
- Have a veterinarian on call. In rare cases, a pet may have adverse reactions to their medication, or their symptoms could worsen while in your care. It may not always be possible to contact the pet’s veterinarian, making it essential to have one in your contacts.
It’s not uncommon for some pets to have special needs and pet medication at daycare. That’s why it’s important to provide specialized or customized care for each animal in your care.
As a pet parent, it’s important to remember that not all pet daycare facilities have the setup necessary to handle your pet’s medical needs. If you’re planning on leaving your pet overnight, the considerations you have to make become even more critical. Facilities without adequate overnight staff may be unable to provide quality care if your pet is recovering from surgery or an illness.
Contact Hebron Veterinary Hospital
Contact us at (860) 228-4324 or visit our contact page if you need help with your pet’s medication. We are here for you. Also, be sure to give us a call if it’s time for any of your other pet’s regular wellness or preventative care visit.