Contagious Illness Policy
The Bordetella Vaccine is a required vaccination that helps to protect your dog against Canine Cough; however, much like the flu vaccine for people, the Bordetella vaccine does not protect them against ALL strains of canine cough. Canine Cough is similar to a human cold and is just as contagious. Please make sure your dog’s Bordetella vaccine is up to date. DO NOT bring your dog into the facility if they are coughing, sneezing, or showing signs of being ill.
Due to our changing society, more and more people are socializing and interacting with their dogs with other dogs. Dogs can get canine cough or canine influenza in any area where dogs frequent, i.e., the vet, dog parks, dog daycare, group training, boarding, grooming or on your daily walk. It is contagious in the same way as a human cold because it is an airborne virus. Coughing in dogs is a unique sound; it sounds similar to them trying to vomit or the sound of a goose. Generally, our dogs fight off this virus well and do not require veterinary attention. Similar to humans, contraction of the virus after exposure depends on many factors such as stress level, vaccination status, and the strength of the individual’s immune system.
The Canine Influenza is not a required vaccination, but it is highly recommended. Canine influenza is a relatively new virus and is highly contagious and easily spread from infected dogs to other dogs. Due to the fact a dog is contagious before they show any symptoms, makes the virus hard to contain. Symptoms include but are not limited to, sneezing, coughing, lethargy, and loss of appetite. Like the human flu vaccine, the new Canine Influenza Vaccine doesn’t completely prevent infection. However, it can dra- matically reduce the severity of the disease and reduces the amount of the virus that dogs shed, decreasing the risk to other dogs.
We treat each of our Just For Pets guests as family. We are pet care professionals who care for many dogs at once and must be aware of their safety and welfare. We want to inform and share with you how we handle contagious illnesses for the dogs in our care.
If your dog has symptoms of a contagious illness (coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, eye or nose discharge, fever, viral warts etc.) they cannot attend daycare. Please check with your veterinarian regarding the duration of their illness and when they will no longer be contagious. Much like kids in school, if your dog exhibits any symptoms of a contagious illness during their time in daycare, you must pick your pup up within a reasonable time frame to avoid exposure to our other guests. In the meantime, your dog will be kept comfortable in our isolation room.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We will do everything within our power to keep your dog healthy during their stay with us. We want you to know that we care deeply for each and every guest and providing the best care possible is our top priority.
