Vaccinations
Vaccination can help protect your loved one from a variety of serious diseases, some of which are often fatal. for this reason, all dogs staying with us must be vaccinated with up-to-date annual boosters. You will need to bring in your vaccination certificate at the time of admission which we will keep during the stay. This certificate is needed every time your dog stays with us as it will change as boosters are given each year.
Generally, your Vet will give a first vaccination when your dog is around 8-10 weeks of age, followed by another one 2-4 weeks later. This gives immunity against all of these diseases for a year or more. For continued immunity against some of the diseases, an annual 'booster' is required.
For Dogs
Canine Distemper - a virus that affects the mucous membranes within the respiratory tract of the dog. The symptoms actually resemble those of human flu, and include a temperature, but the disease is far more serious as it also affects the nervous system
Parvovirus - a highly contagious disease affecting the intestinal tract, white blood cells and the heart
Canine Hepatitis - can cause internal bleeding, liver and kidney disease and central nervous system problems
Leptospirosis - there are several different species of leptospirosis bacteria, but symptoms are generally lethargy, inflamed kidneys, fever, vomiting, and blood clotting. Leptospirosis can cause enzymes, jaundice, pneumonia and further intestinal problems
Does my dog have to be vaccinated?
Yes, absolutely. Not only is it a good idea to ensure that your loved one has protection from the above (often fatal) infections, it is a legal requirement that all licensed kennels ensure that dogs staying with them are vaccinated. We should also point out that whenever a primary course is done, be that when your dog is a puppy or if the boosters have not been kept up-to-date and your Vet decides on a new course, your dog cannot be boarded until at least 2 weeks after the course has been completed.
What about 'Kennel Cough' - do we insist on it?
In a short answer, No.
Kennel Cough is an airborne infection which is not limited to kennels as the name suggests. It can be caught anywhere, for example, at a park, at a dog show, at the vets or even in your own garden. It can be caught wherever a dog can come in proximity to another dog carrying the infection in very much the same way as a 'cold' passes between humans.
Kennel Cough (more correctly called Infectious Tracheobronchitis) has several viral and bacterial causes. Only two of these - Bordatella Bronchiseptica (bacterial) and Parainfluenza (viral)- are controlled by the Kennel Cough vaccines.
The Parainfluenza vaccine is given by injection and is now commonly included in your dogs annual booster.
The Bordatella Bronchiseptica vaccine is given by injecting the vaccine up the dogs nose, which some can find very distressing.
Although infectious bronchitis is highly infectious, it is a troublesome but not usually a life-threatening disease, which is why we leave the decision on its vaccination to your discretion.
It is recommended that the Kennel Cough vaccine is given to puppies, elderly dogs and those dogs with medical problems (such as diabetes) who are more susceptible to medical complications.
We must point out though that if you do decide to have your dog vaccinated, we must insist that it is done at least 14 days (ideally 21 days) before arrival. This is because there is a 3-day onset of immunity period followed by a 7-10 day incubation period during which it is possible that your dog may contract Kennel Cough (either as a result of the vaccine or by contact with other dogs).
