animal care by animal people

<h3>My dog and cat LOVE each other! Can they stay in the same enclosure?</h3> <div class="faq_ans_img"><img src="https://www.dkc.ae/images/faqs/faq_38.JPG"></div> <div class="faq_ans_text"><p>Yes they can!!... maybe.</p> <p>We have a small number of enclosures which are part of the catteries but not too far from the kennels and which, most importantly, are the right size and configuration for a small dog. Each year we have quite a few customers indeed who ask for this and in most cases it works very very nicely.</p> <p>Take a look at <a href="/what-we-do/boarding-daycare/the-kennels-the-catteries-the-kennatteries" target="_blank">The Kennels, The Catteries &amp; The Kennatteries</a>.</p></div>

<h3>Boarding Reservations: How far in advance do I have to book?</h3><p>Now <em>that's</em> an important question!</p> <p>During more than half the year, you can book anytime, even last minute, and we'll be able to take your pet in. No problem.</p> <p>During about 5 months of the year, things are a bit more complicated than that. Take a look at <a href="/what-we-do/boarding-daycare/gotta-book-early" target="_blank">Gotta Book Early!</a></p>

<h3>Vaccinations ~ How often?</h3> <div class="faq_ans_img"><img src="https://www.dkc.ae/images/faqs/faq_77.jpg"></div> <div class="faq_ans_text"><p>Dogs can receive their first course of vaccinations at 8-10 weeks old, and cats at 9-12 weeks old. They then require their second course of vaccinations 4 weeks later, which should then be followed by yearly booster vaccinations.</p> <p>Are there exceptions to these rules? Yep!</p> <p>Some babes need to be vaccinated at 6 weeks of age if their mother wasn't vaccinated at all. (You see, these babes borrow and benefit from their mum's vaccinations). Result? A total of three vaccinations at 6, 9 and 12 weeks old.</p> <p>Learn about this <a href="/what-we-do/dkc-veterinary-clinic/vaccinations-the-lazy-way" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="/what-we-do/dkc-veterinary-clinic/dubai-pet-municipality-tags-registration" target="_blank">here</a>.</p></div>

<h3>Can my unneutered male cat board with you?</h3><p>You're probably not going to like this much, but no, sorry... with one strict exception: if your cat is <strong>less</strong> than 6 months old, then yes.</p> <p>The reason is that cats can be very territorial and as a result tend to mark their territory rather aggressively which, as you can imagine, isn't something that works too well in a community of cats (even though all the cats are of course in their own enclosures). And whooohooo!, the smell! <img alt="" src="/graphics/ic_smiley3.png"></p> <p>If you're really in need of boarding for your unneutered cat, you might consider neutering before you leave. If you're in a rush with a sudden unexpected trip, <a href="/what-we-do/dkc-veterinary-clinic/to-neuter-or-not-to-neuter" target="_blank">we can manage the neutering and post-operative care for you</a>.</p>

<h3>Does my bird need to be microchipped?</h3><p>Microchipping is a great way to identify and register your bird in case he ever flies off into the unknown. A microchip is also a permanent, more reliable method of identifying your bird than feet-rings which can wear out or become damaged and can even break and fall off entirely.</p> <p>Microchips for birds are smaller than those for cats and dogs but nevertheless sometimes birds require a light sedation to have them placed. Not something to worry about, though.  <img alt="" src="/graphics/ic_smiley3.png" height="15" width="15"></p> <p>Do be very aware that all birds will always need a microchip, and possibly other forms of identification, if they ever need to travel abroad.</p>

<h3>Should I be worried if my dog or cat has lost or gained weight during their boarding stay?</h3><p>No and yes, depending.</p> <p>A little bit of weight gain or loss is very common. It doesn't happen to all pets during every stay in a boarding facility, but it does happen. Pet owners, understandably, often immediately feel that this must mean their pet has not been taken care of properly, but in fact it is more important to look at the entire context and the extent of the loss or gain.</p> <p>Commonly, pets staying in a boarding facility are not eating exactly as they do at home. They may or may not be eating exactly the same food (depending on the arrangements you've made with the kennel or cattery), and even if they are, they may not be eating exactly the same amounts because, despite every effort to get it just right, human beings differ and the precise amounts they provide may be a little different than you do when your pet is at home. So, all this small change can lead to weight gain or loss, in and of itself.</p> <p>More important and relevant than this, however, is that pets are generally much more active in a boarding facility than they are at home. Now <em>wait</em>! We're <em>not</em> saying that you aren't taking good care of your pet by not giving him or her lots of activity. No, not at all. It's just that in a boarding facility, especially one that has a good number of staff and lots of other animals around, the whole environment is very stimulating and there is a lot of exercise for dogs and lots of other general interest for both dogs and cats. And this keeps them more active and generally more stimulated, even if they're in their enclosures. And this, in turn, often leads to a bit of weight loss.</p> <p>And one more thing: In many cases, a little bit of weight loss for dogs and cats is a good thing and although we have many customers who do worry about this, we also have a great many who are pleased to see that their pet has lost a little weght in our care because, in fact, they came in to us a little overweight.</p> <p>But of course, everyone has a different perception of this, and if the weight of your pet is not medically bad, one way or the other, then we do try to maintain the weight your pet comes in with.</p> <p>This all said, too much weight gain or loss IS a problem and if you feel there has been too much either way, we truly hope you'll talk to us about this. We monitor this aspect of your pet's health very closely, with a weight check when they first arrive for boarding and then regular checking every week, or more often if we perceive a potential problem. And if there is a problem, we always let you know about it while you're away and take action when required by adjusting feeding or even consulting your vet.</p> <p>If you're interested in more insight about this important subject, take a look at our page, "<a href="/what-we-do/boarding-daycare/weight-loss-or-gain-while-boarding" target="_blank">Weight Loss or Gain While Boarding</a>".</p>