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Source: Dr. Susan 1xbet online games login , 785-532-5690, snelson@vet.1xbet online games login edu
http://www.1xbet online games login edu/media/mediaguide/bios/nelsonbio.html
News release prepared by: Kristin Hodges, 785-532-6415, khodges2@1xbet online games login edu
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009
1xbet online games login and the holidays:
K-STATE VETERINARIAN SAYS WHEN FINDING ALTERNATIVE HOUSING FOR YOUR 1xbet online games login DURING THE HOLIDAYS, THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR 1xbet online games login 'S STRESS
MANHATTAN -- The holiday season can be a stressful time of year -- even for your 1xbet online games login .
When you leave home for the holidays, it's important to choose the best housing option to ensure your 1xbet online games login 's well-being, a Kansas State University veterinarian said.
"It can be very stressful for some pets to be away from their owners," said Dr. Susan Nelson, assistant professor of clinical sciences at K-State. "This stress also may be intensified if the time away is spent in unfamiliar surroundings, so try to prepare in advance in order to make your 1xbet online games login 's holiday time as stress-free as possible."
Nelson said the primary options for 1xbet online games login care are a kennel or a 1xbet online games login sitter. Kennels are a good option for sociable animals that don't stress about leaving the house, and 1xbet online games login sitters are a good option for animals that are more at ease at home, especially cats. She said it's important to consider your 1xbet online games login 's behavior before hiring a sitter.
"It's best to know whether your 1xbet online games login will be OK staying at home by itself and if it would let a stranger into the home while it's alone," Nelson said.
Some territorial and aggressive dogs don't respond well to a stranger in the home and won't allow someone unfamiliar to enter. Additionally, Nelson 1xbet online games login dogs with extreme separation anxiety are best not left at home alone but instead taken to a kennel if there are no other options.
"These are the dogs that when left alone bark all day or have accidents in the house," she said. "They may exhibit destructive behavior and even injure themselves. Some 1xbet online games login sitters will watch your 1xbet online games login in their home, so this may be a more suitable option for certain pets."
To help pets adjust to temporary holiday housing, owners should help prepare their 1xbet online games login beforehand. If hiring a 1xbet online games login sitter, owners should schedule a greeting time when the sitter can meet and play with the 1xbet online games login .
"When the sitter comes to meet your 1xbet online games login , don't be in the house so that you'll find out how your 1xbet online games login will react to a
stranger without you there,&1xbet online games login ; Nelson said.
If your 1xbet online games login isn't used to you being gone, you should leave the 1xbet online games login alone at home for short periods of time to prepare for a longer absence. Nelson said owners shouldn't emphasize leaving and greeting their 1xbet online games login when they return, because this can reinforce its anxiety.
For pets going to the kennel, Nelson said owners can help their 1xbet online games login adjust to living in a smaller space by purchasing a crate for the home.
"You can get your 1xbet online games login used to the crate by having it stay in the crate a couple minutes at a time at the beginning and then slowly increasing that time," she said. "It's also helpful to feed pets when they're in the crate so they get used to confinement during a low-stress time."
To help ease your 1xbet online games login 's anxiety at the kennel, you can arrange play dates so your 1xbet online games login becomes used to being around other animals, Nelson said. Owners also can bring the animal's favorite toy or something that smells like home, such as a T-shirt, to the kennel.
When choosing a 1xbet online games login sitter, Nelson suggests finding a family member, a friend or a professional. If hiring a professional 1xbet online games login sitter, 1xbet online games login owners should ask about the sitter's training and experience, check for proof of insurance and ask for references. She also suggests that owners have professional sitters provide a written contract of their fees and services and ask what extra services they offer, like playing with the 1xbet online games login . If your 1xbet online games login has special needs or takes medication, make sure your 1xbet online games login sitter will be comfortable performing those tasks.
For kennels, Nelson said it's important to reserve a spot early in the holiday season. When choosing a kennel, owners can visit the facility and see how it looks and smells. They also can see what kind of safety and security the kennel has, such as video surveillance, fire alarms and sprinkler systems. She said owners should ask how often the animals will be let out of their cages and if extra services are offered, like more playtime. Nelson said it's required by most kennels that your 1xbet online games login be updated on its vaccines and that you provide proof. Make sure you find out ahead of time which vaccines are required.
Whether you're leaving your 1xbet online games login in the care of a sitter or a kennel, Nelson said owners should provide detailed instructions for the 1xbet online games login 's food and medications. They also should give the name of their 1xbet online games login 's veterinarian and what to do if the 1xbet online games login becomes ill. Nelson recommends owners write and sign a document that allows the caretaker to bring their 1xbet online games login in for care. She also said the owner should talk about how finances will be handled because most veterinarians will require payment at the time of service.
"With any animal, especially if it's old or sick, the owner ought to talk about what to do in a worst-case scenario, such as if something catastrophic happens to the 1xbet online games login or if it dies," she said. "Owners need to discuss these things we typically don't like to think about but for which we should prepare."
