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Canine Cough

Our isolation and reporting protocol when a dog shows Canine Cough symptoms.

Purpose

The moment you notice a dog developing a new cough, our protocol is the same every time: tell a manager, get the dog seen, and keep it isolated until it's no longer a risk to the other dogs in the facility. Canine Cough (also called Bordetella, Kennel Cough, or Upper Respiratory Infection) is the most common disease we see in the pet industry, and it's primarily airborne, so this protocol is what keeps one dog's cough from becoming a facility-wide outbreak.

At a Glance

  • Canine Cough is usually non-emergent, but it spreads primarily through the air, so speed on reporting matters.
  • The moment you notice a dog developing symptoms, inform a manager right away so the dog can be taken to the vet for treatment.
  • Symptomatic dogs, and dogs undergoing treatment, are isolated from other dogs in the facility until symptoms subside or treatment is complete.
  • Special cleaning procedures apply to help prevent cross-contamination and further spread.
  • Staying aware of every dog's health and being diligent about isolation and cleaning is the most effective way to prevent an outbreak at our facility.
  • All dogs are required to be up to date on the Bordetella vaccine before entering the facility; see Vaccination Policy for the full requirements.

Steps

  1. Notice the signs: Canine Cough is also known as Bordetella, Kennel Cough, or Upper Respiratory Infection.
  2. Inform a manager right away so the dog can be taken to the vet for treatment.
  3. Isolate the dog from other dogs in the facility. Isolation continues until symptoms subside or treatment is complete.
  4. Follow the facility's special cleaning procedures around the dog and its area to prevent cross-contamination, since the disease is primarily airborne.

Edge Cases

  • Treatment may remove the disease's contagious effects in some cases even before every symptom has fully cleared.

Who to Ask

Tell a manager the moment you notice symptoms developing, so the dog can be taken to the vet for treatment.

How often should staff watch dogs for developing Canine Cough symptoms?

Continuously, not on a set schedule. Staying aware of every dog's health and being diligent about isolation and cleaning procedures is what actually prevents an outbreak at our facility.