Fur Mom Shares Quirky Truths About Pet Sitting for Veteranarians

Leaving our beloved animals at home can be very stressful. Many of us worry about how they will feel when we're not around and if they'll be loved in our absence. Without a trusted pet sitter, we might not go at all.

Even when we find the right person to care for our cherished animals, we often leave them a long list of instructions. As you might imagine, veterinarians' checklists are even more detailed, and there is a lot we can learn from them.

These thorough instructions, shared in this July 29 video, can help keep our fur kids happy and healthy and ensure they receive the care they need.

This small animal emergency veterinarian (@ erdvm ) gives insight into what a pet sitter might encounter when providing care for pet health experts. They've been on the other side, so they have a lot of understanding of the topic. This concise list of written instructions is crucial as it tells the pet sitter exactly how to feed their pets, any required medications, and the animal's personality and expected behaviors. They also provide documents to ensure their animals receive care should they need medical assistance. Unfortunately, this is a step we sometimes fail to consider before leaving home.

Related: Veterinarian Shares 5 Things He Would Never Do With His Own Dog

A Veteranarian’s List For Pet Sitters

1. In addition to the exact feeding amounts and times of day a pet eats, it's essential to include a contingency plan if they become finicky. Here, sprinkling FortiFlora on top of the food might help entice a depressed dog to feel more motivated to eat.
2. They may also provide the household location with the medications their animals require, the dosing, and when it may be appropriate to use them.
3. A pet sitter will also find a list of emergency veterinary facilities in the area. The closest may be preferred, but there's a secondary choice should it be closed. Not only is their credit card information on file at both locations but there's also a notarized authorization, allowing the sitter to make medical and financial decisions for their pets. If the parents can't be reached, there is a list of veterinary emergency conditions they will and won't treat. Documents like these can be notarized at local banks, AAA Centers, or UPS stores.
4. They also note potential hazards, such as the pool. While there may not have been any incidents in the past, they should be pointed out for someone new in the home, especially for pets who may not swim.
5. A list of local emergency family contacts. These numbers can become essential should the sitter get locked out of the home or have an emergency not directly related to the pets. They also note the numbers for poison control and their local pet pharmacy.

These detailed lists give us peace of mind when leaving our pets in someone else's care and can also help providers feel confident about their jobs. Although putting them together might take effort, it’s always time well spent.