Kennel Cough
(handout from our kennel office.)
We know that your pets are important to you and are like family. We treat them as family when they are here at the kennel so you don’t have to worry when you are gone and they are here. We are professionals that take care of lots of pets at once and need to be aware of their safety and welfare. We want to inform and share with you, our clients, what we do and know about kennel cough because every dog or cat that we board is important to us.
We do everything that we can to curtail kennel cough. Our cleaning regimen is daily wiping down with bleach and detergent every surface that is able to be wiped down to include doggy doors, walls, gates, couches, cabinets and obviously the floor. We wash our hands continuously throughout the day. The dog’s water and food bowls are stainless and also washed daily. Air flow is important in curtailing kennel cough as well. We run hepa fans in where the runs are and also regular fans to keep air from becoming stagnant. The radiant floor heat also helps to keep bacteria from growing.
Stress has been known to make the immune system weaker, which enables the kennel cough virus to take hold more easily, even with vaccinations against it. We provide a daily routine, relaxing music and human contact with all of our guests to help alleviate the stress that is associated with kenneling. The extra stressed hang out in the office or go to the house for a more home environment. Dogs that have kennel cough are contagious about three to four days before showing any signs of the virus. If a dog comes down with kennel cough we immediately separate them, but it is most likely too late at this time to prevent spread of the virus, as it is an airborne virus.
Every client is required to show proof of vaccination against kennel cough when they drop off, however every strain of kennel cough is not covered by the vaccine as it acts like the common cold virus and is constantly mutating. We encourage you to boost your dog’s immune system with a pet multivitamin, vitamin C, fish oil and/or flax seed. The dogs on these vitamins tend to stay healthier, and those that do get kennel cough, it tends to not be as severe. 
Think of Kennel Cough compared to the human common cold. Many local vets have told us that it runs its course in about 10 days or so without medical intervention. Worst cases should be put on antibiotics and have controlled rest. The average case will be back to normal in a few weeks. To control the cough your vet may recommend children’s cough syrup, as several local vets have told us. Again, a good dog multi vitamin is great for their immune system. If your dog has a cough keep in mind that running around in extreme weather will aggravate it. Pretty much like us when we are sick except a dog doesn’t seem to know when he/she has overdone it or when to quit and relax.
Kennel cough seems to go in spurts like a cold does. Every kennel in the Fairbanks area is at risk of an out-break of kennel cough. This is an airborne virus that is HIGHLY contagious. Although most commonly contacted through a place such as a boarding facility your dog could come across this virus at the dog park, on a walk past the neighbors house, going to the vet or shopping at Pet-Co or Cold Spot Feed. 
We pledge to you to do everything within our power to keep your pet healthy during their stay with us. We are not trying to over dramatize the situation or underplay it, but rather to inform and educate our clients. We want you to know that we care deeply for each and every guest that comes through our doors and providing the best care possible is our bottom line.
We will let you know upon check-in if we hear of any kennel cough strain going around the Fairbanks area.
Sincerely,
The staff at Holy dog Kennels.