CPT Internal Training Seminar- Prevention and Treatment of Medical Conditions and Client Service Issues in a Boarding Environment

July 24, 2009

CPT Internal Training Seminar- Prevention and Treatment of Medical Conditions and Client Service Issues in a Boarding Environment

In our continuing efforts to maintain the CPT training staff as the most educated group of pet trainers and behaviorists in the Atlanta area, we completed another in a sequence of internal training seminars deigned to enhance each trainer’s knowledge and competency. On Wednesday, June 24, CPT’s staff engaged in the seventh in a series of seminars. The seminar provided lecture, discussion, and demonstration pertaining to practices and policies designed to prevent and treat medical conditions in a boarding environment and formal protocols that will enhance overall client satisfaction for our board only and board training programs.

The seminar began with a one-hour presentation by CPT President and Head Trainer Mark Spivak. Mark distributed and discussed the new 40-page CPT policy manual for our board only and board training programs. The manual covers policies and procedures to enhance customer satisfaction and pet safety involving multifarious subjects that can become germane in a boarding situation. Areas covered included simple, but important service issues, such as trainer-client communication, methodologies to keep dogs clean, methodologies to keep dogs and bedding redolent, and prophylactic flea and parasite control. In addition, the policy manual covers the prevention, identification, on-site treatment, on-site control, and veterinary treatment protocols for a number of potential medical issues, including abrasions, lacerations, fractures, anorexia, stomach torsion, intestinal obstruction, parasitic illness, viral illness, bacterial illness, pyoderma, alopecia, mange, ringworm, diarrhea, dehydration, heat exhaustion, and toxic and non-toxic animal bites. The manual provides procedures to maximize the probability of safe dog-dog interaction while minimizing the likelihood of injuries resulting from outright dog-dog aggression or unintentional, but potentially injurious play arising from extreme size differences, age differences, temperament differences, over-exuberance, or environmental factors. Lastly, the manual outlined facility integrity, inspection, and management procedures that will maximize the safety and pleasure of the CPT boarding experience for both our human and canine clients.

Mark then turned the floor over to Dr. Ella Ahearn, DVM from The Animal Hospital of Sandy Springs. Dr. Ahearn provided a vivid demonstration of how to perform a head-to-toe health inspection of incoming boarding animals. Dr. Ahearn also discussed:

1. How to use visual and manual examinations to detect parasitic, fungal, viral, and/or bacterial skin, visceral, respiratory, and/or orthopedic conditions or injuries,
2. How to address injuries and illnesses that may potentially affect client dogs in a boarding environment,
3. When to seek veterinary intervention,
4. When a situation is an emergency,
5. Evaluating amongst using the services of the client’s vet, the trainer’s vet or an emergency veterinary clinic,
6. When to provide pre-veterinary emergency treatment,
7. How to provide potentially lifesaving pre-vet emergency care, and
8. How to treat minor illnesses and injury at the boarding site.

Dr. Ahearn’s presentation was highly educational and practical. Moreover, she is an excellent speaker.

We believe the seminar provided outstanding information and beneficial updates to CPT boarding policies affecting facility, animal, and client management protocols that should increase safety while concurrently creating happier customers, more repeat business, and a superior quantity of word of mouth referrals. All the participants valued the educational opportunity and the authorship of formal written policies that address a myriad of potential boarding events. In addition, we appreciated the time invested by Dr. Ahearn and her wisdom.

For more information about CPT’s boarding or board training programs, please contact the CPT office by phone or e-mail.