Returning Home

Following a few simple steps will help your animal adjust to his/her own environment when returning home.

Some animals will pant a lot and seem overexcited, drinking excessively and generally present quite anxious, this is all quite normal. He or she will probably not be really thirsty, as water is always readily available at the kennel.

On returning home make water is available but not in large amounts, increasing the amount as the day goes on. This also is the same for food, some animals present ravenous, its not that they have not been feed, its just natures way of preparing them for another move (stock up, you don’t know where the next meal is coming from).

Limit the amount of food and water until he or she settles back into their normal routine.

Kennel life can be very exciting for some dogs, running around barking at other dogs, generally having a wonderful time. These animals often leave the kennel being exhausted, although they present very happy they may sleep a lot for the first couple of days, this is quite normal.

Excitement may also cause a change in urinary and bowel movements, this will also return to normal.

Spending some quality time with your pet on returning home, going for a walk, brushing will help make their transition back into home life.

Canine Cough

Here is some information about the very misunderstood disease called “Canine Cough” often referred to as “Kennel Cough”.

“Canine Cough” or correctly Tracheobronchitis is a highly contagious, upper respiratory disease that is spread by an airborne virus. The incubation period is 3 – 7 days. The main symptom is gagging cough, or sometimes depending on the strain of the virus can present with sneezing and running nose. Usually these symptoms last for a few days, and although the cough can be annoying usually does not develop into anything more serious. Observe your pet closely to avoid any complications.

Canine Cough can be caught from meeting other animals at your local park, walking down the street, dog shows, veterinarian clinics, pet shops, obedience clubs or even sniffing your next door neighbors’ dog through the fence. As a concerned kennel owner, we do not allow any animals into the kennel with Canine Cough. But unfortunately sometimes, animals arrive at a boarding kennel that may have no symptoms but have been in contact with another animal that has the disease. And because of the incubation period of 3 – 7 days, within a couple of days you have Canine Cough.

As all good kennel operators do, we take them out of the main kennel block and place them in isolation, but unfortunately no amount of sanitation can stop an airborne virus, we advise that all dogs should be vaccinated for “Canine Cough” C5 which decreases the chance of secondary infection. Having the C5 vaccination does not stop your dog catching Canine Cough; it simply lessons the chance of secondaries. A Childs cough suppressant may help to reduce the gagging cough. But if you are at all concerned if your animal does seem very lethargic or refuses to eat, seek veterinary help, and antibiotics may be prescribed.

Tracheobronchitis – “Canine Cough”, like the flu is often seasonal, veterinarians see cases from everywhere not just boarding kennels. So again, C5 vaccination is your best line of defence.

Your local veterinarian will give you any assistance of information on the subject.