Pet Boarding and Daycare September October 2017

VOL 7 • ED 5

SEPT / OCT 2017

WWW.PETBOARDINGANDDAYCARE.COM

Profile of Success

PARADISE

RANCH PET RESORT

Inside:

EXPO program guide

and daycare

The Importance

OF A DAILY

EXAMINATION

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STAFF and daycare magazine S E PTEMB ER / O CTO B ER 2 0 1 7

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Rebecca Shipman

CONTENTS

28

PUBLISHER Barkleigh Productions, Inc.

ART DIRECTOR Laura Pennington

PROFILE OF SUCCESS: PARADISE RANCH PET RESORT

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jenn Barraclough JUNIOR DESIGNER Jenny Thomas WEB MASTER Luke Dumberth PRESIDENT Todd Shelly

WHE NA

VICE PRESIDENT Gwen Shelly

Inside:

DOG

EXPO program guide

and daycare

12 Behavior 6

Puppy Programs: A Better Way to Socialize Puppies

Business 20

26

How to Simplify Your Social Media Plan and Improve Your ROI Want More Great Customers?

Facility

24 Animal Health

44 The Importance of a Daily Examination 50 Your Role in Spotting Signs of Kidney Disease

Industry News 54 Classifieds 54 New Products

36 The Other Side of the Gate: What Pet Parents Look For During a

Facility Tour 40 Good Better Best: Defining Best Practices for Your Pet Services Facility 4

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER Adam Lohr DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & CLIENT RELATIONS James Severs MARKETING COORDINATOR Alyx Robertson CONTACT General: (717) 691-3388 info@barkleigh.com Editorial: rebecca@barkleigh.com (717) 691-3388 (ext. 225) Advertising: james@barkleigh.com (717) 691-3388 (ext. 224) Copyright September 2017. Pet Boarding & Daycare is published bimonthly by Barkleigh Productions, Inc, 970 West Trindle Road, Mechanicsburg PA 17055. Postmaster: Send change of address to Pet Boarding & Daycare c/o Barkleigh Productions, Inc., 970 West Trindle Road, Mechanicsburg PA 17055. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Editorial offices: 970 West Trindle Road, Mechanicsburg PA 17055. (717) 691–3388 FAX (717) 691–3381 Email: info@barkleigh.com

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ANIMAL BEHAVIOR

s: Puppy Program

By Teena Patel

W

e tend to view the term “socialization” broadly—a blanket term that encompasses exposure to other dogs, new experiences, and more.

However, exposure alone is not enough for puppies and dogs, and our approach toward socialization should be far more methodical. We can’t talk about triggers without talking about behavior and its consequences. The environment, behavior, and consequences all create the sum of experiences that a socialized dog has or does not have.

Working with puppies requires a plan, the proper environment, and a thorough staff training program. We need to provide a well–planned social experience if we want to successfully welcome puppies into dog daycares. It’s a ton of work, but it’s not impossible.

Here’s how you can make sure your dog

6

daycare is able to give puppies the best start to their lives as companion dogs.

Creating Your Puppy Program Plan Imagine if you took a toddler and enrolled him or her into high school.

They wouldn’t be very successful!

The same concept applies to our dog daycares—it’s an advanced environment the puppies aren’t ready for yet.

Puppies can’t adapt to the high levels of stress, and their lack of preparation with the necessary stress-management skills often leads to even more stress.

Ultimately, behaviors related to fear, anxiety, and aggression are induced.

At Doglando, we have a carefully thought-out, incremental, and sequential curriculum for puppies starting at 8 weeks of age through the first year of the puppy’s life. This program is called “Puplando” curriculum. Our puppies

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

are successful because we have the right design, the proper physical space, and the correct programming in terms of level of involvement from handlers and owners, and developmentally appropriate lessons.

Puppies experience intense mental, emotional, physical, and intuitive growth during the first 21/2 years of their lives. A well–designed behavioral wellness plan takes each puppy’s age into consideration and then delivers relevant exercises that will prepare the puppy for future developmental progression.

Puppies as young as 8 weeks can be integrated into environments with groups of other dogs. However, their daily routines must be developmentally appropriate—potty training regimens, crate games, physical handling exercises, and relationship building games are more important than unstructured group play (unless puppies are with their biological

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& are important when working with puppies. mother and siblings) at this age. When you create your puppy program, think about these things: • Physical limitations of puppies • Mental, emotional, and innate developmental needs • How those developmental milestones will be met • The practicality of the information the puppies are receiving (Are they learning life skills?)

Once you think about these ques-

tions, consider how your environment will help each puppy reach their developmental milestones.

Design Elements (Environment and Space) for Puppies Space is important because it dictates the amount of movement a puppy can have. Puppies and dogs with limited access to space are prone to using their mouths, so creating playscapes that promote movement is crucial. Adult dogs want to remove themselves from puppies,

and space also keeps puppies safe from injuries that occur as a result of the high impact, fast movements of adult dogs.

An environment that has more space to offer and that is diverse in its offerings will lead to a richer experience, more learning, and greater growth. Ideally, you’ll have access to the outdoors, because creating enriching indoor environments is no easy task and the environment is limiting. Nevertheless, it’s entirely possible with some creativity and imagination.

Staff Training for Puppy Programs You’ll learn this rather quickly; some staff prefer working with puppies, and others do not. Understanding the strengths and interests of your employees is vital if you want to create a successful puppy program. Patience and flexibility are important when working with puppies. Staff working with puppies also need to understand the development of a puppy’s mental, emotional, physical and

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intuitive state. They don’t need to be certified trainers, but being well-versed in the basics of behavior science, classical conditioning, and most importantly, operant conditioning will help tremendously.

Puppy program staff need this knowledge in order to be in-tune with and observant of how each puppy is developing. This includes gait, movement, how they balance and displace weight, and more. That’s because they’ll need to incrementally help the puppies build upon the skills they’re learning, and each puppy will grow and develop differently. Pat Hastings’ wonderful book on Puppy Development is a useful resource for understanding a puppy’s physical structure.

Your staff also need to monitor puppies based on your puppy program action plan. Staff must understand the environmental influence on behavior and be able to follow the plan that’s been created.

Puppies are so fragile and we want to introduce them to things that will have a net positive effect.

A Puppy Program in Action One option for 8–week old puppies is a Potty Training and Development course. This is what we’ve created at Doglando, and the puppies follow a very specific and incremental program that allows them to build real–world skills.

In the morning, the puppies are crated, because this is a skill they’ll likely need.

Handlers individually take each puppy out for a 15 minute play break and to potty every 2 hours.

Puplando puppies are given a different, natural chew each day and we give each puppy a large crate. We need to protect their behavioral welfare, and this allows them to lie down, take a nap, chew, and stand up. Since they’re taken outside often there’s no need for them

to eliminate in their crates. Therefore, we can afford them bigger spaces.

In the afternoons the puppies are introduced to teaching dogs. These bomb-proof older dogs have their mornings to play and roam, and then they “assist” us in showing the puppies how to be more focused and oriented toward humans for training exercises and other games and activities.

Are You Prepared to Take Puppies?

Socializing puppies and welcoming them into your daycare environment is no easy task. There is no “end goal” with socialization. It’s ongoing, so you need a long–term process. You’ll notice that the program described here is extremely high–touch and focused on helping puppies build relationships with humans and other dogs.

Creating puppy programs benefits the puppy and prepares him or her for

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a lifetime of success as a companion dog, but they also help businesses attract lifelong customers. If we want to take puppies, we must ask ourselves, “Can my business handle this long term commitment?” n

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Teena Patel (LLA, CPDT) is founder of the University of Doglando, a 3.5-acre educational and enrichment center in Orlando.

Teena knows that responsible pet ownership requires a focus on the whole dog and teaching life skills. Her training methods teach people how to interact positively with their animals from puppyhood. At Doglando, a staff of professional trainers engage with their canine students throughout the day to encourage positive behavioral outcomes.

Teena has earned a national reputation for her innovative approach to training and dog care. She consults around the country on her philosophy of enrichment, education, and improving dogs’ behavioral health.

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

11

N E H A W

By Kama Brown

When a dog bites, everyone will likely be worried about the bite victim, but what about the biter?

U

nderstanding the warning signs can help prevent a bite from happening, but how the biting dog is handled immediately afterwards can help prevent bites in the future and correctly set the stage for future behavioral training.

Properly documenting the incident in detail can create a big impact on the biting dog’s life going forward.

Dog bites inflicted on both humans and other dogs have a huge range of severity. Simply stating that a dog has bitten yields too little information to be helpful for the future. A list of contributing factors should include the dog’s age, regular environment, biting environment, and a detailed narrative of what was occurring before and after the dog bite.

If this is the first time a dog has bitten, it’s particularly critical to get the 12

information as accurately as possible.

With proper training and management in place, most dogs who bite once can be prevented from doing so in the future.

Aggression is a progression of slight behaviors such as lip licking or looking away and gradually (or sometimes very quickly!) manifests towards growling, snapping and biting. If a dog has bitten, it means that the slight aggression behaviors were ignored or the dog was trained not to do them prior to this situation.

Many times it is assumed that punishing a dog for growling will end the aggression. In reality, punishing a dog for growling takes away their warning system and makes it more difficult for humans and other dogs to know when a dog is nearing the end of their fuse. Never punish a dog for growling. Instead, teach team members handling dogs that a growling dog is PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

communicating that they are getting near their limit and this is a cue to stop the current situation.

Dogs who bite do so because they feel they have no other option. Knowing which situations a dog will find stressful is important to note in a way that everyone will see and read. With proper handling, time and breaks, dogs can be trained to handle a variety of situations they are not comfortable in. The key is to work slowly, exposing dogs to slightly stressful experiences just a little at a time and allowing them the choice to end the experience by exhibiting body language such as backing away or lip licking, instead of waiting until they exhibit harsh body language, such as biting.

If a dog has a history of biting multiple times or biting multiple dogs, or if the biting dog inflicted enough damage to require medical attention,

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management is the only option for boarding and daycare. Management should include safety protocols to ensure the dog does not have the ability to bite again, such as being kept separated from other dogs, being muzzled, being medicated, or being taken in and out through a separate entrance.

Bites During Daycare When a dog bites another dog during group play, the biting dog should swiftly be taken to a quiet place where they can defuse. Biting is the height of aggression, and while it may seem that the biting dog is being a bully, most often they are experiencing an extreme amount of physical and mental stress before, after, and during the confrontation. It can be counter-intuitive for some, but keeping a biting dog in a situation they are likely to bite in an attempt to force them to get over it, or to create forced submission to another

dog, is never the answer.

Forcing dogs to endure situations they aggress in will temporarily “shut down” a dog’s response, only to create a ticking time bomb for another person or dog in the future. A dog may “give in” on that day and time but can quickly decide to aggress sooner and with more force on another day and time. Shutting down a dog is not a kind, safe, or productive solution to ending aggression.

Bites during play are almost always the result of over-arousal or fear. Signs of over arousal include barking, mounting, darting, head-butting, wide eyes, extreme submission and belly showing, and the absence of taking breaks in play.

When play seems single sided or always initiated by one dog, staff can focus on giving that dog forced breaks by body blocking them or gaining their focus to a new area of the yard to sniff. Simply walking around and calling the dogs over to a new space is a great way to

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between dogs can do more harm than good if it is allowed to go on for more than a minute or two without a break.

defuse arousal.

If barriers are needed, x-pens, rows of trees, log piles, fences, dirt piles and swimming pools are all ways to section off play areas for dogs. Anything a person can do to get the aroused dog focused on something other than another dog is a great tactic to defusing arousal.

Keeping the daycare area full of enrichment activities can make that easier.

Rough play between dogs can do more harm than good if it is allowed to go on for more than a minute or two without a break. An entire session of rough and tumble play should be limited to 10 minutes in good weather conditions (less in hot weather).

Dogs who are fearful will demonstrate avoidance behaviors such as darting, hiding, keeping their bodies low to the ground, pinning their ears back, looking away, and panting more than usual. However, fearful dogs can also demonstrate overly offensive behavior

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such as lunging, barking, snarling and air snapping when another dog is simply walking about or playing in an appropriate manner.

It’s important to assess whether the biting dog is responding to over arousal or fear, and if the biting dog is being overly reactive or if the biting dog was responding appropriately to the offensive nature of a non-biting dog. Many times an “overly-friendly” dog can cause a dog to bite because what looks overly friendly to us is actually extremely rude and offensive to a dog.

Allowing one dog to bother another to the point of aggression and then labeling the bothered dog as a biting dog is inaccurate. Dogs with play styles that include neck biting, ankle biting, head butting, body slamming, and general wrestling should be socialized with similar sized dogs with similar play styles for short periods of play.

Rough and tumble dogs can certainly learn to soften their style around smaller or quieter dogs, but doing so should include safety protocols for the quieter dog. When quieter dogs are exposed to rough play from another dog, particularly if there is a size difference, fearful aggression is likely to manifest from the quieter dog.

Choosing well paired playmates is a great way to reduce dog bites and build tolerance during play.

Bites During Handling Having staff learn and practice appropriate handling protocols can greatly increase staff knowledge on how and why dog bites happen towards humans.

Many dogs have experienced enough regular handling to endure grooming and vet care from a stranger, but not all of them. Dogs with limited exposure to being handled by strangers are likely to find even gentle handling stressful.

Often if a dog bites during handling, the dog is afraid. Triggers can be small (such as being put on a slippery table) or large (such as pain during

ear pulling or nail clipping). Whether or not we view the fear as reasonable is irrelevant to the dog. Dogs live in their own timeline for what they feel

comfortable accepting while being handled by strangers.

If a dog does bite while afraid, it’s important not to overreact. Staying

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calm and ending the experience for the dog is priority in the moment.

Sometimes all a dog needs is a few minutes of break and other times the situation won’t be able to be repeated.

If the bite wasn’t bad, after giving the dog a break, try the situation again (bath, nail trimming, etc.) and go slower this time, checking for body language that signals fear. Offering the dog a distraction, such as a food toy, can be a great aid in preventing fear. Giving the dog a break to walk or sniff can also build their tolerance to handling.

If the bite was bad enough to break skin, consider not offering the service to the client in the future. It’s important for both dogs and employees to feel safe in a boarding and daycare setting and dogs who have bitten harshly enough to inflict damage should be handled by a veterinarian or certified trainer. n

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t this point in time it’s clear that Social Media is important—it’s hard to imagine a world without it. It’s impossible to go out in public and not see people scrolling through Facebook or Twitter on their phones, or watching videos on YouTube. Social Media is all around us and it’s not going away any time soon.

Due to the popularity of Social Media, it’s imperative that businesses have active Social Media pages. You don’t have time as a business owner to worry about Social Media, especially because it’s difficult (close to impossible, actually) to track sales that come through your Social Media platforms. For that reason we’d like to discuss two items that will help you use your Social Media platforms in the most 20

BY

BRIDGET

MORRISON

cost–effective ways possible—simplification and return on investment.

Simplification We recommend posting to Facebook and Twitter approximately two to three times per week, posting to your blog once or twice per month, and uploading/ sharing videos to YouTube once per month. If you follow this rule of thumb, you will show your Social Media visitors that you have an active social presence without overwhelming them with too much content.

Below are a few ideas on how to simplify your Social Media posting so you’ll have more time to focus on your business: 1. Link your Facebook and Twitter accounts. You’re able to link Facebook PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

to Twitter so that everything you post on Facebook will automatically post to Twitter as well. If the post is over the character limit, it will get abbreviated automatically on Twitter.

Note: You can also link Twitter to Facebook. However, we recommend only linking one to the other (i.e. Facebook to Twitter OR Twitter to Facebook), otherwise there will be too much noise on your social platforms.

2. Set up a Hootsuite account.

Hootsuite allows you to schedule multiple posts in one setting. We recommend creating between 8 and 12 posts per month at one time (i.e. pet care industry articles, grooming tips, holiday posts). Then, you can spend about 30 minutes to an hour to schedule posts for the entire month. This

will save you the trouble of having to deal with the hassle of posting on Facebook or Twitter every few days.

3. Bulk schedule your blog posts.

Take an afternoon every few months and write four to six blog posts. Then log in to your blog (we recommend Blogger or WordPress) and schedule them to post over the next few months.

4. Research YouTube videos at the beginning of each month. Search for a few industry related videos (i.e. how to teach a dog a trick) and add those videos to your YouTube Channel playlists twice per month. It’s extremely simple and it only takes one minute to add a video to a YouTube Channel playlist.

5. Get your entire facility involved.

All of the Social Media posting does not have to fall on you. Split it up amongst several of your employees. One employee can do the research, another employee can write the posts and a third can schedule the posts. Breaking up the work will make

it go much faster, plus it’s a fun responsibility that most employees will want to help with.

If you follow the steps listed above, you can simplify your Social Media postings and save yourself a lot of time and money, which leads us to the next section—return on investment.

Return On Investment (ROI) Tracking whether or not your business is getting new sales through Social Media is extremely difficult. Having said that, Social Media is an essential marketing tool for your business. It’s your online storefront—where you share your latest business updates, pictures of your employees and client dogs, and most importantly, where you connect with your customers. While all online platforms are important, Social Media is invaluable in that it shows your business in real time.

It’s also important to keep in mind that Social Media platforms are free,

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

TWITTER

2-3 X per week FACEBOOK

2-3 X per week YOUTUBE

per 2X month

21

unlike most Websites or marketing materials. For that very reason, there really isn’t any excuse to not invest time in them. If you follow the suggestions in this article, you will find you have time for Social Media.

Remember, consumers check different Social Media platforms to read reviews and see what you’re posting. Today’s consumers often have to decide between two different pet care facilities – or between

your facility and an independent pet care pro – and if one has an active Facebook Page and another doesn’t, you’d better believe they’re likely going to call the former. Why? If a business takes the time to interact with their customers on Social Media, that’s a sign they’re going to take the time to work with their customers in person as well.

Below are a few tips and tricks to improve your Social Media’s ROI:

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1. Interact with your customers.

Interaction is extremely important on Social Media. Pay attention to your social platforms. If someone asks a question on a post or via a private message, reply within a timely manner. If someone leaves you a positive review, reply thanking them for the input. If someone leaves you a negative review, reply thanking them for their feedback and let them know you’ll be reaching out to discuss further.

2. Keep track of your Insights. Check your Facebook Page’s Insights to see which of your posts have received the most interaction (i.e. likes, comments, shares) and take note of what was different about that post. What time of day did you post? Did you post a picture? Did you ask a question?

These are keys to figuring out what your customers like seeing most on social sites.

3. Ask for feedback. Ask your customers what they want to see on your Social Media platforms. Do they want more pictures? More tips? Fewer posts? It could be a myriad of things, but the key is to take their feedback and actually use it.

Your customers will appreciate that they’re being heard and, in turn, will continue to work with you for years to come.

The secret to having a great Social Media presence is to remember that, while Social Media is important for your business, it’s also meant to be fun. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and allow Social Media to be the fun side of work – something you want to work on at the beginning of each month. If you follow this rule of thumb, you’ll notice that posting on Social Media is simple and, at the end of the day, completely worth the time and money you invest in it. n Bridget Crawford is the Social Media Team Lead for Market Hardware, Inc and brings nearly 10 years of experience in Social Media management. Market Hardware helps pet care businesses compete on the Web with customized Web Marketing programs. You can reach Bridget’s team at 888-381-6925.

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NOV.

6–9

If you’ve never attended a

2017

and daycare

EXPO

this is THE ONE you don’t want to miss!

Brand new seminars for all levels—novice to seasoned professional, top industry experts and the largest trade

HERSHEY LODGE & CONVENTION CENTER new program titled Pet Pro Panel Discussion will make its debut on Monday afternoon, for those coming in early and wanting to be a part of a round–table type of discussion on all things boarding and daycare.

This four hour program will feature four industry experts there to answer your questions and share some tips to help you be proactive in any situation.

The Monday evening Keynote address, which is free to all attendees, will feature special guest Christine Russell, president of Camp Bow Wow. This is a great opportunity to learn some trade secrets and industry insights that helped make Camp Bow Wow the largest boarding and daycare franchise in the country.

Brand new programs continue Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Some of the new two hour programs include Laura Laaman’s Four Pillars of Success, Amanda Crook’s Managing Risks with Off-Leash Play, Lisa Aumiller’s Winning Protocols for a Safe Kennel, and Amber Burckhalter’s Safety 24

show all can be found at the Pet Boarding & Daycare Expo in Hershey, PA, November 6th—9th, 2017.

and Evaluations in the Daycare Space.

Among the new four hour programs are Pet Lover to Pet Care Business Owner: Financing, Building a Business Plan, Design and Equipment, which features three industry experts to walk you through the process of building a new facility—from financing all the way to choosing equipment. Also, Amanda Crook and Sara Beth Pinson’s Attracting, Developing, & Retaining Exceptional Animal Care Staff, which is an extensive program on finding the right staff members, proper staff training techniques and how to retain valuable staff members.

Are you wanting to add some certificates to your wall? This year’s expo also features two certificate programs.

Get certified in Pet First Aid & CPR on Tuesday afternoon with Jill Pipino.

Tuesday morning we are debuting Dr. Courtney Campbell’s Heroes for Healthy Pets which is a certification in infectious disease management.

We rearranged our Wednesday class schedule to allow for more trade show time. Two hour classes in the morning PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

and then two hour classes in the evening frees up six whole hours to get the most out of the trade show. The trade show will also be open all day Thursday so you’ll have plenty of chances to visit all of your favorite vendors, in the new larger trade show hall!

Also, be sure to sign up for the Round Table Luncheons, held on Wednesday and Thursday, which will give you a chance to swap stories and ideas with some of your industry peers. The luncheons are included in certain packages or can be purchased separately.

Whether you’re opening a new facility, bringing in your staff for some education, or just want to stay current with all things boarding and daycare— you’re not going to want to miss this year’s Pet Boarding & Daycare Expo! n

To register for the expo and for additional information, go to www.PetBoardingExpo.com

DE AF EN IN G DO GS

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GREAT CUSTOMERS

By Laura Laaman Of course—any smart business owner or manager does. So how would you describe what characterizes your most valuable new customers?

Great customers come from other happy customers (referrals).

Why Referrals Are Important Every business loses a percentage of their customer base each week, month, and year for two major reasons: something went wrong with their experience, or they had a change in circumstance that has nothing to do with you or your business. These include moving, changing jobs, illness, or death.

Unlike other industries, your business depends on humans (pet parents) and their pets.

As owners and managers, it's important to replace new pet parents with at least the same number you lose.

Or—if you want to grow—replace with a greater number. We provide our clients a retention exercise to help them quantify the number of new pet parents they need to bring in to keep their business healthy.

26

This number ensures they’re targeting the right number of new prospects and not overspending on marketing.

What to Do When Things Don’t Go Well It's easy to be disappointed or disheartened by your company's negative reviews. Smart companies learn from negative feedback and determine how they could have done better. If they can’t save a particular customer, they recognize they need to find a new one to replace that lost revenue.

Assuming you agree you'll lose some customers each year, you need to decide how to replace them. You can advertise and roll the dice on what type you'll receive—or you can capture referrals.

Although referrals take a little bit of PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

initial energy and strategy, they have many advantages including saving on traditional marketing costs as well as giving your company a surcharge or new, fabulous customers and revenue.

Referrals often have fewer objections than non–referrals and they tend to spend more.

When you first start a company like your pet care business, you likely leaned hard to produce a positive reputation by word of mouth. With so many seasonal peaks, you get busier and busier. It’s easy to feel comfortable with a lot of new customers coming through your proverbial doors. This is easy to do with our seasonal demand but a terrible assumption in today's competitive environment.

Here is an effective strategy to help you attract valuable customers.

How to Obtain Referrals The first step to get valuable referrals is for your company to dazzle your customers, not just satisfy them. When you do so, you're prompting the most powerful advertising of all: word–of–mouth referrals.

The next step is to ask for referrals; but how and when?

When I was growing up, my father owned a large furniture business. When a shopper was done looking around, we were trained to walk them out of the store, open the door, and say, “Thank you for coming, and please tell your friends, family, and neighbors about us.”

Although we spent quite a bit on advertising, I'm convinced planting the seed and asking for referrals was key in our company's success.

This strategy helped us not take anyone for granted and not wait for another shopper to walk through the door. A referral that has the testimonial of a respected friend or colleague will have less fear and fewer objections including the need to shop around. Why? Because they know the referrer is pleased with your business or he or she wouldn’t have referred them.

Giving the referrer a small thank-you reward is a nice way to shape this important behavior. It doesn't have to be much. A personal, verbal thank you or a note from the owner of the company goes a long way to make them feel special. And maybe something special for their pet.

To supplement your lost customers and maintain a strong business, challenge your company to change their behaviors and incorporate a new referral process into your business practice. n Laura Laaman is president of Outstanding Pet Care. Outstanding Pet Care guarantees to substantially increase the revenues of its clients with its proven services. If you're interested in growing your revenues, schedule an individual consultation with Laura Laaman or one of our team members. Call Outstanding Pet Care at 1-888-735-5667 or go to www.

OutstandingPetCare.com.

Call us Today to Schedule a FREE, Private Consultation.

Serious

REVENUE GROWTH for Serious Business Owners.

This is a rapidly changing and highly competitive industry.

OUTSTANDING PET CARE is the authority in producing exceptional results for our clients. Our consulting and training firm helps pet care facility owners realize the revenues they deserve.

SOME OF OUR MANY SERVICES INCLUDE: Constant support guaranteed to grow your business Marketing & pricing guidance Exclusive meetings with the top pet care facility owners in the world Phone training “Hiring Laura and the OPC team was a pivotal defining moment for our business. In our first year with OPC, we increased $330,000 over our previous year.”

– Hailey Seidel, Bow Dog Canine Specialists

OUTSTANDING PET CARE UNPARALLELED SUCCESS, GUARANTEED GROWTH.

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PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

27

ise Ranch Pet Resort Photos pr ovided by Parad

PROFILE OF SUCCESS

un F e h t e Wher

By Kathy Hosler

"My dog is having a better vacation than I am!" That's the comment that Brian Kneier and Kristyn Goddard, the owners of Paradise Ranch Pet Resort, hear all the time.

28

I

don't think that anyone does it quite the way we do," says Brian. "We care for the pets in a complete resort style while they are in a true home environment.�

In 1995 Kristyn owned a kennel in Texas where she discovered that the pets were often stressed during the boarding experience. Barking, pacing, and gastric upsets were not unusual.

That's when Kristyn had a revolutionary idea. Instead of keeping pets isolated and locked up, she wanted to allow them to socialize and interact together, and to be cared for in a real

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

home setting. At that time, it cost about ten dollars a day to board a dog at Kristyn's kennel. Kristyn decided to offer her clients the opportunity to board their dogs in her own home for thirty dollars a day. "Soon, my house was full, and the kennel was empty," said Kristyn.

Kristyn relocated to California and searched for the perfect setting to open a cage–free boarding, daycare, and training center. She found it, and in 1997 the Paradise Ranch Pet Resort opened its doors.

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The entire inside and outside perimeter of the property is beautifully landscaped with a hedge of tropical plants, bamboo and

palm trees. in Sun Valley, California, just 15 minutes from Burbank and 20 minutes from Los Angeles. It sits on a little over an acre of property. The entire resort is an oasis of safety, fun, and relaxation for its canine guests.

A system of double wall fencing sur-

30

rounds the entire property. The outer wall is six foot high cinderblock, and the secondary fence is lightweight wire.

The entire inside and outside perimeter of the property is beautifully landscaped with a hedge of tropical plants, bamboo and palm trees. Instead of fences, you see

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

lush, beautiful jungle around the border of the resort. An intercom system at the front gate allows pets and their owners to enter—and that's when the fun begins.

There are two homes on the property. The dogs romp all day long in the different play yards and the water park, and at night they sleep slumber party style in the actual bedrooms of the homes, while being supervised by their 'pack leaders' (human caregivers).

Paradise Ranch is a totally cagefree, all-inclusive resort. "It was really important to me to create an environment where the animals are not stressed out," said Kristyn. "We have a plaque titled ‘The Process of Enrichment' displayed at the resort. It says; ‘Enrichment is the promotion of the psychological and physical well–being of an animal in an environment that provides them with behavioral choices, exercise, socialization, and the absence of stress.’"

Every dog is evaluated before it is accepted as a resort guest. The Labrador Lagoon is where they evaluate the dogs.

During this time, the owners wait in the living room of one of the homes, where they watch the process on closed circuit TV. This gives the owners the opportunity to see exactly how their dog acts when they are separated from them.

Kristyn found that if you evaluate

"It has a large beach– entry pool with life–size

dolphin

fountains

at each end, and features doggie–sized over–the– water bungalows.

every dog first, then follow the steps of careful introduction, pack socialization, and consistent leadership, a balanced pack can be created and maintained in a boarding facility 24 hours a day, which is the key to the success of the Paradise Ranch formula.

"We screen every dog before it boards or becomes a day camper to make sure it is socialized and gets along with others," says Kristyn. "If we observe any problems and the owner still wants their dog to be a guest at the resort, the

32

dog must go through our socialization training program."

Once they are accepted, a dog can enjoy all of the fun activities the resort has to offer. When Paradise Ranch first opened they had a bone–shaped pool for their guests to enjoy. It was so wildly popular that they soon created an entire full-featured water park for their guests.

Kris and Brian designed and oversaw the building of all of the water features. "Bora–Bora Beach was our first water park attraction," says Brian. "It

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

has a large beach-entry pool with lifesize dolphin fountains at each end, and features doggie–sized over–the–water bungalows. The bungalows are designed for dogs to play on or under, or to just relax on, and the dogs just seem to love romping and playing in this water feature for hours."

"Next, we added a dock diving pool, that we call 'The Plunge'” Brian adds.

"Big and small dogs alike love it.”

"Then, Kristyn wanted a wave pool," Brian says as he flashes a big smile. "I didn't know how I was going to accomplish that, but I went to work brainstorming, and soon Waikiki Beach became a reality."

Brian designed and built a huge barrel that fills with water. He concealed it behind a beautiful waterfall. Once the barrel is full, it tips to empty and it creates a wave that comes out the bottom of the waterfall. And it sounds just like the real surf at the beach.

Paradise Ranch has a webcam system that operates 24/7. Clients access it through the internet and see what their dogs are doing and how much fun they are having. There are multiple cameras in every play yard and water feature, and in every room.

In addition to the water park, the resort has several yards filled with play equipment. The dogs are rotated

Paradise throughout the day into the different areas. This gives them a chance to explore and experience all the fun activities and get plenty of exercise.

After a fun filled day, the tired canines go inside to relax, watch some

RANCH

Pet Resort

TV, and have a slumber party in the designer–decorated rooms.

Technology plays a big part in the success of the Paradise Ranch. In addition to the webcams, photos of their pets can be emailed to owners in real time.

Their website, www.paradiseranch.net is highly optimized and very findable.

They have a Facebook and Instagram presence and their Yelp reviews help bring in new clients.

Brian knows that customer satisfac-

Everything that leaves your grooming facility should have your name on it.

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33

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You get everything you need right out of the box!

tion is best achieved when you exceed their expectations, and his personal motto is "The secret to success is doing what you have to do better than you have to do it."

The phenomenal success that the Paradise Ranch Resort has enjoyed is proof that Brian and Kristyn's hard work and ground breaking ideas are the 'wave pool' of the future. And that future certainly looks bright for this dedicated couple who have lots of ideas for new adventures. They now offer consultations to anyone who would like to open and operate a cage–free resort.

Recently, Kris has begun designing women's bathing suits and resort wear with matching suits for pets (www.paradiseranchdesigns.com).

Now everyone can look their best when they spend a day in Paradise! n

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PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

FACILITY

he

ring u D For k o Lo s t n ur re o a T P y t t Pe A Facilit a h W

By Jessica Zelmer

T

he debate has raged (gently so) in the pet care services industry over how to identify the two–legged guardians of four–legged domesticated creatures. Should they be called “pet owners” or “pet parents”?

According to a 2013 survey conducted by research consultant Kelton Global, 9 out of 10 pet owners regard their pets as family members, with 81 percent categorizing them as equal family members. The survey revealed that 78 percent consider themselves to be pet “parents”— not “owners”— and as many as 58 percent of pet guardians call themselves “mommy” or “daddy” to their pet.

36

Birthdays are celebrated, photos are displayed next to the human kids, and the antics of pets are joyfully discussed with friends and colleagues.

It is undeniable that the status of pets as family members is changing and pet care centers must adapt to that. Gone are the days of owners calling around to check pricing and availability. The modern day pet parents are savvy, information hungry, and desire a higher level of care for the furry family members. And, like it or not, they want a tour of your facility.

When you’re busy with other tasks like keeping dozens of pets safe, fed, groomed, and entertained, the prospect

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

of also having your pet boarding or daycare facility “judged” during a tour can be the last thing you want to do.

Rather than thinking of a facility tour as a necessary evil to be endured, think of it as an opportunity to show pet parents how truly pawsome you are. If you stay prepared, you’re always ready for a tour.

The Professional Animal Care Certification Counsel (PACCC) makes available a list of items that a pet parent should look for when choosing a facility: How to Select Your Animal Care Provider. Let’s reverse engineer that list for you, the provider. Here is how to be ready for the watchful eye of the modern pet parent:

Why to Select T his Animal Care Provider:

Physical Safety of Animals Work spaces are clean and organized.

Pets are housed in climate controlled areas with secure fencing and minimal odor. All potential hazards such as electrical cords and broken toys are eliminated.

Animal Wellness Vaccination requirements are clearly defined. Complete physical exams are conducted prior to lodging stays. There is open communication when common communicable diseases, like canine cough, are observed in your community.

care are documented. Each animal is recognized as an individual and offered a variety of service options versus a one– size–fits–all approach. The priority is ensuring a good match in care. Staff is ready to offer a thorough tour of your pet center or an orientation visit for home care.

Knowledgeable Professional Staff is trained in animal behavior

including body language and stress signals that provide early warnings of discomfort or illness. Continuing education is participated in and proof of same is displayed.

Closely Monitor Animal Health During lodging or home visits each animal is monitored for what it eats and whether eliminations are normal.

Emergency Preparedness Procedures and systems are in place to handle any type of emergency that may arise, team is trained in animal first aid, and 24–hour staffing and/or monitoring systems are in place.

Animal Assessments Profiles of animal behavior and preferences prior to accepting them for

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37

When to escalate abnormal behavior to veterinarian care is known. Behavior and health observations are openly communicated with clients.

Priority On Emotional Well-Being The importance of animal happiness is recognized and only those tools that reward good behavior and avoid punishment are used. A variety of activities are offered to appeal to differing animal activity levels and ages.

Friendly, Compassionate Care Givers Patience is a virtue in answering questions and spending time understanding the needs of your client and their pets. Communication is nice and proactively expresses excitement to be working with new clients.

Legal Business with Memberships in Industry & Community Organizations Business is legally operated, insured, or bonded, and active in professional pet

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Keeps Client Contact & Preference Information Updated Multiple methods of contact for owners, emergency contact, and preferences for notifications when traveling, or in the unlikely event of an emergency, are maintained.

Utilizing this checklist will help ensure you are ready for even the most discerning pet parent. If your pet care business is meeting all of the standards, make the How to Select Your Animal Care Provider list available to your customers as they go through the facility tour. This will show off your high level of care and attention to detail. n Jess Zellmer is a member of the Professional Animal Care Certification Council (PACCC). PACCC was founded by industry leaders to bring independent certification to the pet care services industry, an important step for a rapidly growing, easy to enter industry frequently damaged by news reports of serious pet accidents and deaths. In addition to the exams for Certified Professional Animal Care Provider (CPACP), PACCC will be conducting exams for Certified Professional Animal Care Manager (CPACM). For more information, visit www.paccert.org.

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good, better, DEFINING BEST

PRACTICES FOR YOUR PET SERVICES FACILIT Y

By Khris Berry

Best Practices for your pet services

facility are defined as a set of guidelines that you practice

to complete your services in the

highest manner for your clients and their pets.

40

F

or many pet professionals, they are already in place, yet not written or defined. You may have a certain way you greet your client, a particular way you like to exercise a client’s pet, or even a preferred method of feeding so that animals in your care thrive. These are called Best Practices and pet professionals should seek to identify their own guidelines to help elevate the professionalism in their Boarding or Daycare establishment.

Whether you work alone or in a busy environment surrounded by employees, defining Best Practices for your facility will help you have a basic standard on which to build a Pet Service business. Your clients will appreciate the consistency and uniformity in their pet’s experience, visit after visit. Additionally, when they recommend friends to your business, they can be assured that their

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

friends will enjoy a similar experience.

Identifying Best Practices helps reduce both client turnover and increase client/ service provider conversation.

If your facility offers Grooming as well, one such example is the hot topic of ear-plucking during the grooming process. In recent years, many veterinarians are beginning to suggest that ear hair should be left in a natural state in the ear canal. On the other side, many veterinarians still counsel the hair should be removed and instruct their clients to ask their groomer to complete the service during each grooming appointment.

We, as pet service professionals stand between these opinions.

This is an excellent opportunity to define a Best Practice guideline for your facility. You can use it to educate clients, instruct them to have a conversation with their vet, and proceed as necessary based

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

41

In the Boarding and Daycare field, you may craft a Best Practices statement regarding dogs being onleash and under control when entering your facility. upon their wishes. In our own facilities, we advise clients that the veterinarian community is divided on their recommendation and we do not pluck ears unless instructed by the client or their vet. Therefore, we are meeting the needs

of the client, their medical professional, and ultimately the pet. This is how a Best Practices statement works to protect you and offers the opportunity for client education.

In the Boarding and Daycare field,

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you may craft a Best Practices statement regarding dogs being on-leash and under control when entering your facility.

Many pet facilities extend this policy even further by advising owners against the use of retractable leashes for the safety of the pet and other guests.

Defining and discussing your Best Practices offers you an opportunity to provide your client with a professional and educated approach when selecting their pet service provider. You can gather your information and begin to formulate your own Best Practices by discussing your offerings and policies with veterinarians, daycare attendants, attending educational seminars, your own experiences, and speaking with other pet service providers.

Your individual Best Practices will be as unique as your business and should reflect your desire to offer the client and their pet the best experience you can provide. n

T H E I M P O R TA N C E O F A

DAILY EXAMINATION

T

here’s nothing worse than an upset client, especially when you can avoid the situation by taking 10 minutes a day with their dog to perform a daily examination.

The time you spend on the exam will save you money and headaches by lessening medical issues and keeping clients happy.

The daily exam accomplishes several things. First, it sets a baseline of any problems, scars, tumors, etc. the dog has, allowing you to catch any changes very quickly, including lumps, injuries, flea/tick infestations, hotspots, and even internal parasites. Second, the dog gets very used to being handled, which reduces stress during their stay while building mutual trust and respect with the handlers.

To Start the Examination:

44

By Laura Pakis

1. A straightforward way to do the daily exam is with the dog out of the kennel and facing away from the handler either sitting, standing or laying down (whatever is most comfortable for the dog). Facing away from the handler is less stressful for the dog, but gives the handler maximum control and access to all parts of the body.

2. It is important not to allow the dog to squirm. Do not release the dog until they stop wriggling, then praise and release quickly before they can start wriggling again. Never release a dog while he is wriggling.

Slowly build up the time you hold the dog in daily exam position.

3. With the dog in position, speak softly and affectionately and massage

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

his tummy or wherever else he enjoys being petted or rubbed. When he wriggles or fusses do not rub or coo at the dog. Either be silent and ignore it, or give a "wrong" marker or verbal correction ("no") in a neutral tone of voice.

4. Develop a pattern so that each handler does the exam the same each time. This way, a part won't accidentally be skip over.

5. Start at the shoulders and feel along the scapula, from the withers to the point of the shoulder, and then on to the elbow. Follow the spine of the scapula and feel the muscles which attach there to the scapula. Check for tenderness, heat (which may indicate injury), external parasites, crusty areas in the skin, bald patches, and any deformity in

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the bone. The scapula is usually rotated about 45 degrees from the dog's spine, pointed from the withers toward the front of the dog's chest. At the point of the shoulder (a joint), the humerus attaches at about a 90–degree angle to the scapula.

The humerus should be well muscled.

Follow it to the elbow, still checking for signs of injury, crusts, or parasites.

6. While at the elbow, gently glide it forward and feel the movement in the shoulder joint (point of the shoulder). Don’t move the elbow out away from the body or twist it, but only move it in the direction the dog would move it himself when taking a step forward.

7. Next, check the elbow joint by gently straightening and flexing it. If the dog is very relaxed, when you straighten his elbow joint, his pastern (carpus or wrist) joint will automatically straighten simultaneously. Follow the radio–ulna (forearm) down to the wrist. On the forearm, there is less muscle and more tendons as compared to the shoulder and humerus. Only tendons run along the front of the forearm, but there are muscles and tendons along the back of the forearm.

8. Near the pastern pad, there may be a large dimple where the skin folds in between tendon and bone.

Check the pastern pad for cuts, cracks, and tenderness. Flex the pastern joint.

From the pastern joint, the leg starts to split off into five digits: four toes and a dewclaw. Some dogs have a functional dewclaw, which they use sort of like a thumb to grasp things while chewing. In others, the dewclaw hangs loosely and may be prone to injury. In some dogs, the dewclaw may be surgically removed.

Check each pad in the paw the same as the pastern pad.

9. Check between the pads for cuts, thorns, burrs and ticks. Feel along each toe. (The bones in dog toes go in unexpected directions, kind of like a 46

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

"Z".) Check that none of the toenails are split, cracked, sharp, overgrown, or worn into the quick. You may want to apply pad toughener or Musher's Secret to the pads, depending on whether it's needed.

9. Feel down the length of the dog from the withers to the hips, checking the bones of the spine and the muscle and skin along the way. Feel along from the throat to the genitals, checking the bones of the rib cage, and the muscle and skin along the way. The abdomen is a good place to really check for fleas because the hair is usually thinner there so the fleas (or flea "dirt") are easier to see there and because the skin is slightly warmer there, fleas are attracted to this area. Swelling and/or hardness in the abdomen, especially in deep chested dogs, may indicate "bloat", a very serious, life-threatening condition which requires immediate veterinary care as death may occur in less than 24 hours.

10. If the dog is an intact male, you should gently feel the testicles for lumps and make sure both are descended. For both males and females, feel the breast tissue, checking for lumps. Feel down both sides, again checking the ribs, the musculature, and the skin.

11. If, at any point, you cannot run your fingers through the dog's fur to the skin, it's time for a good brushing or combing out. You should be able to reach your fingers to the skin even on dogs which are supposed to have dreadlocks.

12. As you check the dog, use all your senses. Is the smell normal or strong and foul? Untreated injuries start to stink as they become infected. Breath odor or ear odor can also indicate conditions which require treatment.

13. Check the hindquarters and tail as you did with the forequarters, except be extra gentle when flexing the joints of the hind leg. They usually don't move as far as the front legs. Never force the leg (front or

back) to flex or straighten. Always use the very gentlest pressure and do not force the dog if he resists moving a limb, as this may cause injury.

14. Moving on to the head. Check the corneas of the eyes. They should be crystal clear, smooth and shiny. Cloudiness may indicate cataracts or injury. Gently pull down the lower lid and look at the mucous membrane lining the surface of the lid which rests against the eye. It should be moist and pale pink. Grayness may indicate anemia, possibly because of internal parasites. Redness may indicate irritation of the eye or illness.

15. Check the ears. On the outer edge of the pinna (the external part of the ear, as opposed to the ear canal), there is a section with a small flap on it. Be sure to check it for ticks, especially seed ticks. Check for tears in the edges and puncture holes (possibly from playing with other dogs or cats). Look inside the ear to see if it needs cleaning or if there might be an infection.

16. Move to the mouth. Peel back the lips and examine the gums. These should be pale pink or have black pigment. Find a pink area and gently press on it with your

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

EXAMINING

THE EYE

Check the corneas of the eyes. They

should be crystal

clear, smooth and shiny. Cloudiness may indicate

cataracts or injury.

47

EXAMINING

THE TEETH Peel back the lips and examine the

gums. These should

be pale pink or have black pigment.

48

finger. Release the pressure and observe the white finger print left on the gum. If it takes longer than one second for the gum to turn pink again, there may be a circulation problem. Check that none of the teeth are loose. Check the edge of each tooth where it enters the gum. Yellow or brown accumulations indicate tartar buildup which can lead to gingivitis. This is an appropriate time to brush the teeth with a properly sized, soft toothbrush and canine toothpaste. Swelling or redness of the gums may indicate gingivitis, which left untreated can threaten the life of the dog. Check the "bite" of the dog by gently closing the jaws together to see how the teeth meet. Make sure the teeth are not injuring the inside of the lips or cheeks.

Check the lips for injury, infected follicles, zits and warts. Balding areas, especially around the mouth and eyes (but possibly other places) may indicate dermodex (a form of mange) which may require medication from a veterinarian.

PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

Once finished with the examination, document what was found or indicate that nothing has changed. You may be thankful to know you quickly found a scrape before it became infected or how appreciative your clients are to learn that you discovered their dog needs a teeth cleaning by performing the daily examination. n Laura Pakis, owner and founder of Acme Canine, has been a professional dog trainer for numerous years and a boarding/ daycare facility owner for 13 years. A member of the Dog Writer’s Association, Blog Paws, Women in the Pet Industry and the Internationals Association of Canine Professionals, Laura shares her canine knowledge through a variety of social media outlets. Laura feels responsible ownership is an important part of having a dog and guides her blog, Spike’s Dog Blog, toward providing dog owners with not only training knowledge, but also care and understanding of dogs.

YOUR

Role in

spotting of

By Jane Harrell

D

id you know that more than 1 in 3 cats1 and 1 in 10 dogs2 will be impacted by kidney disease in their lifetimes? Recent studies suggest numbers might be even higher, with more than half of cats over 15 years old being afflicted.3 So, what does this mean for you? It’s another opportunity for you to add value to your clients and keep them coming back for the high–quality care and compassion you provide.

1

LOOK OUT FOR SIGNS OF TROUBLE NOSE TO TAIL As a boarding owner or employee, you should be giving pets a daily, thorough once-over. Subtle signs of trouble may be more obvious to you, whereas small changes may be harder for your clients to notice since they see their pet every day.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the following. If you spot any of these signs, let your client know as a trip to the vet might be called for to test

for things like kidney disease, thyroid disorders, and diabetes.

SKIN ELASTICITY, DRY GUMS & DEHYDRATION Dehydration can be a sign of moderate to severe kidney disease. It can also make existing kidney disease worse in both dogs and cats. Common signs of dehydration to watch for include: • Reduced skin elasticity—the skin doesn’t “snap back” into place as fast as

Lulich JP, Osborne CA, O’Brien TD, Polzin DJ. Feline renal failure: questions, answers, questions. Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet. 1992;14(2):127–153

2 Brown SA. Renal dysfunction in small animals. The Merck Veterinary Manual website. www.merckmanuals.com/vet/urinary_system/noninfectious_diseases_of_the_urinary_ system_in_small_animals/renal_dysfunction_in_small_animals.html. Updated October 2013. Accessed February 12, 2016.

Marino CL, Lascelles BD, Vaden SL, Gruen ME, Marks SL. The prevalence and classification of chronic kidney disease in cats randomly selected from four age groups and in cats recruited for degenerative joint disease studies. J Feline Med Surg. 2014;16(6):465–472.

3

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PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

1 in10 DOGS

&

it should when gently pulled.

• Dry gums—you might notice the lip sticking to the gums when you check the teeth.

COAT LUSTRE & CLEANLINESS More so in cats than dogs, you might notice an unkempt appearance. As kidney disease worsens, cats will often have trouble keeping up with regular grooming.

Any cat whose grooming habits have changed significantly should be seen by a vet to rule out issues like dental disease, kidney problems and more.

SALIVA STAINS & URINE SCALDING According to Celeste Clements, DVM, DACVIM, the increased thirst and urination associated with chronic kidney disease in dogs and cats may unmask signs of urinary incontinence, especially in female dogs, or pets with lower urinary issues. This could show up during your nose-to-tail assessment as: • Over-grooming of the perineal (rectogenital) or preputial area.

• Saliva stains in the areas.

• Urine scalding around the areas

1 in3

CATS

WILL BE

Impacted

in their

BY

pets become dehydrated, they may also become constipated or produce more “pasty” feces that cling to the fur. This one’s easiest to see in long-haired dogs and cats, but it can impact any dog or cat.

SUDDEN OR PROLONGED WEIGHT LOSS With some pets, a trip to your facility happens more often than a trip to the vet.

Similarly, some pets may have extreme coats that hide weight loss from your clients. (This goes for weight gain, too!) If you notice that one of your regulars is starting to feel a little more boney than usual, speak up. While Fluffy may just be on a diet, your clients will appreciate that you noticed, and if no diet, a trip to the vet may be in order.

CHANGES IN VISION Has one of your trickiest clients gotten less accurate in their nips or swats? Check out their eyes (carefully)

and let their owner know if you notice any changes. Funny-looking red eyes or dilated pupils could be a sign of hypertension caused by kidney disease.

WHAT IS KIDNEY DISEASE? Kidney disease can be caused by an array of conditions, and the success of treatment depends on a number of factors. In general, two types of kidney disease are common in pets: CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD) CKD is more likely to be the type of kidney disease that you might see signs of during your nose-to-tail assessment.

Defined by a slow decline of kidney function, CKD can be notoriously hard to spot. However, if you notice signs, it may help in catching CKD as early as possible to give pet parents and their veterinarians the best shot at slowing or stopping the decline.

OVERGROOMING & BROKEN HAIRS Pets who are experiencing discomfort around their kidneys or bladder may begin over–grooming and breaking off fur in the areas of discomfort. Of course, your clients might not understand the possible connection right away. Gently help your clients understand the relationship and recommend a vet visit if you notice these signs.

CONSTIPATION & MATTED FECES Hair matted with feces around the anus and perineum can be a sign of many things, including unhealthy kidneys.

The root goes back to dehydration—as

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51

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ACUTE KIDNEY DISEASE Acute kidney disease moves much faster and is more likely to be noticed by your client. Typically caused by a sudden or acute injury to the kidneys, this form usually means a sick pet who may have stopped producing urine altogether and needs emergency treatment.

HOW CAN WE HELP CLIENTS? Recognizing, identifying and (hopefully) treating the underlying cause of kidney disease as early as possible gives pets the best chance at happy, long lives.

During your nose-to-tail assessment, be sure to help your clients understand how external things you see might flag internal issues, like kidney disease, that require a trip to the vet. By discussing this with your clients and pointing out concerning signs, you are helping them take the best care of their pets and will likely keep them coming back for years of special attention. n As Editor-in-Chief of Pet Health Network and Head of Pet Owner Communication for IDEXX Laboratories, Inc, Jane Harrell works to help pets and those who love them stay together. Jane’s worked with leading brands for over 14 years to make a difference for pets through education, advocacy and marketing.

IDEXX is a leader in pet healthcare innovation, serving veterinarians around the world with a range of diagnostic and information technology-based products and services to help them provide advanced medical care, improve staff efficiency and build more economically successful practices. Headquartered in Maine, IDEXX offers products to customers in more than 175 countries.

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