Worried About Boarding

[CinnamonPearl]

So I’m going away next week, and since my plans to bring Clover with me fell through, I’m planning on boarding him at my workplace, a vet hospital. But I am so stressed about leaving him. Until now, Clover has only ever come with me to work to get his nails trimmed, so now he associates the place with scary things happening and gets stressed when he’s there. I don’t plan on having anyone clip his nails for me while I’m gone, but I’m worried that something bad is going to happen, like he’ll get too stressed from being there for days and die or something. :'( Or that he won’t eat enough and go into stasis. Is there anything I can do to help him while he’s there? 

[DanaNM]

I think the comforting thing is that if he does start to have any issues, he’ll already be at the vet and can get the care he needs! (Vs an unfamiliar pet sitter that might not notice an issue right away).

Does the vets have a separate room for bunnies (that isn’t with the dogs)? If so, I think he will be just fine. It’s true bunnies are easily stressed, but they are also more resilient than we give them credit for. I think that traveling anywhere is hard on a bunny, so traveling with you vs. staying at the vets would probably not be all that different.

I’m guessing they will monitor his poop and eating, and general well being? I think he would probably be comforted by having his own litter box and some toys from home, plus all of his favorite veggies to eat while he’s there.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[CinnamonPearl]

Yeah, that is the reason I decided to board him rather than leave him home with my mother. The hospital takes a lot of action to ensure their boarders stay healthy during their visit, so I thought taking a bit more of a risk with his comfort and boarding him would be better than leave him home and, god forbid, he gets sick and my mother doesn’t notice until it’s too late.

I do have a couple of options for where to keep him that I’m debating between. There’s the normal room where exotic boarders stay, on the other side of the hospital from dog and cat boarders, and it’s a busy room so lots of people to keep an eye on him. But there is one dog who lives there, the hospital dog. He’s pretty quiet most of the time but does bark when he wants attention, which I’m worried will be stressful. The other option is the grooming room that isn’t really used anymore, and I could keep him there. But it’s not busy in there at all, so he wouldn’t get checked on throughout the day nearly as often.

Either way, they’ll definitely monitor him. I was planning on bringing his blanket, his plushie, and maybe a chew toy (he isn’t big on chewing). I was debating bringing his cardboard box hide, because he does like it, but it’d take up a lot of room in his cage and I feel like once he’s more settled, he’d want more room to hop around. I’ll have to see about bringing his litter box and bowls too. Depends what I can fit in a bag to bring.

[DanaNM]

Hmm, I think either room would be fine. I would probably opt for the busier room so he would get more interaction. I think occasional barking wouldn’t been that stressful, as long as the dog doesn’t bark all night or anything.

For perspective, my local rabbit rescue is right next to the dog rescue at the humane society. There are dogs barking a lot of the time. The buns that have been there for a while are used to it and don’t react at all, and the new ones that are brought in adjust quickly. They don’t all immediately go into stasis or anything from the new surroundings or the dogs barking.

It sounds like they will take good care of him. Will he get some exercise time each day?

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[CinnamonPearl]

Okay yeah, I’ll opt for the busier room. I’d rather someone keep a closer eye on him. The dog is generally pretty quiet too, and his barking isn’t headache-inducing like a lot of the dogs who come through the hospital. Clover is normally such a well-adjusted and outgoing bunny that logically I feel I shouldn’t worry too much, it’s just the fact that he hates going there that’s stressing me.

Unfortunately, I don’t think exercise time will be a thing. There are outdoor exercise pens that the hospital exotic pets go into during the day (if weather permits), but I don’t think I’ll ask my coworkers to let Clover out too. Animals have to get picked up to be moved outside, which Clover despises, and it isn’t exactly a quiet area. The hospital is on a busy road, and sirens and motorcycle sounds are very much audible from the outdoor pens. So I think keeping him inside, leaving him alone, and letting him rest would be the best option. He’ll get plenty of running time when he gets home, though!

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