Let's Talk " Canine Cough"

Lets Discuss "Kennel cough",
Now known as Upper Respiratory virus and
Canine Cough.
We want to discuss with you, what most facilities will not mention. These virus's are around, there is no way to totally prevent it and the better educated you are , the healthier your dog will be.

WHAT IS AN UPPER RESPIRATORY VIRUS ?
  An upper respiratory virus in dogs is similar in a way to a chest cold in humans, and unless there are other complicated issues present, the seriousness of the virus is about the same.
One thing is for sure, it’s highly contagious in dogs.
It’s an upper respiratory problem, which affects dogs around the world. It can easily be picked up anywhere. If your dog comes into contact with an infected dog’s cough droplets or spray, when dogs play together and share water bowls your dog will likely get the infection.
There are different types of upper respiratory infections all bundled under the term kennel cough but the most common one is the Bordetella Bronchiseptica. The kennel cough symptoms usually show up 7-10 days after being exposed. And unless there are other complicating factors involved, usually last for about 10 days.

SYMPTOMS OF AN UPPER RESPIRATORY VIRUS
An infected dog will show NO symptoms for 5-14 days before producing a really dry hacking cough and usually they’ll retch too. The coughing is frequent. It sounds like something is stuck in the dog’s throat. Sometimes there’s a watery discharge in the nose too.
A dog with a mild case will continue to eat and be his normal self. You should be concerned if your dog’s symptoms worsen. If your dog is lethargic, feverish and loses his appetite he’ll need veterinary care. Left untreated in this case the dog could develop pneumonia.

VACCINATION AND PREVENTION
At most facilities, you’ll see a requirement or suggestion for having your dog inoculated with the Bordetella and Parainfluenza vaccine, but not much else is mentioned. Because of our dedication in keeping our facility as healthy an environment for your dog as possible, we thought some topics, such as this one, should be discussed.
Of course the only way to prevent your dog from ever getting kennel cough or other infectious diseases is to not expose him or her to other dogs or dog social areas at all, anywhere at anytime. That means never taking them out of the house for walks, not letting them in your yard, because the virus is airborne, so it can be delivered into your yard once an infected dog nearby coughs or sneezes. Never taking them to a groomer, or to a pet store, dog training classes, agility or even your Vet.
Most likely your dog will be exposed to other dogs over their lifetime and that can’t be helped. Would you really want to keep your dog from ever playing with another dog? And having your dog boarded will definitely expose your dog to other dogs. That's just a fact. Like daycare for children, socialization and interaction are so beneficial for proper development that there will be some bumps in the road at some point if you want the best for your children and dog.

Preventing kennel cough in dogs is not 100% possible. However, vaccines do reduce the severity of the disease. That’s why we require you have your dog vaccinated.

OUR POLICY IF WE SUSPECT YOUR PET HAS AN UPER RESPIRATORY VIRUS
We will quarantine your dog and call your emergency contact for immediate pickup. If your dog has a virus it is our policy that he or she does not return for at least 14 days, symptom free. If you suspect your dog may be sick please air on the side of caution and do not bring your dog to the Farm for the safety of all our guests, We certainly understand that this can be very frustrating for clients that are gone on vacation for 2 weeks or longer or even for a few days. That is why it is imperative that you leave us with an emergency contact that will be able to come and pick up your dog if for any reason we feel they need to. You as a pet owner, when asking someone to be a contact for your dog, must explain to them that a call could be placed to them days after your dog arrives and this could leave them looking after your dog for weeks, depending on how long you are gone for. This is not Apple Ridge Farm's fault. We never make a call to have a dog leave the facility, unless it is warranted. But when a guest has a communicable disease, it is not fair to the other guests that we allow the dog to remain and 'hope for the best', ,we are diligent in our practices as canine care providers, and parents must understand that.

Apple Ridge Farm's offers a state of the art H-VAC System with a germicidal UV light system in both our air exchange unit and our central air unit, these UV lights cleans the air indoors continuously throughout the day sucking out air born spores and bringing in new fresh air, we have strict cleaning procedures and adhere to them meticulously to avoid an outbreak at all costs. If we hear from some of our farm family members, vets office or general public Apple Ridge Farm will send out a general letter that looks something like this :

Dear pet parents
We know there are many new pet parents in our community, and we want to be especially careful and keep our followers informed.
What is canine cough? Canine cough is a mild upper respiratory illness that is highly contagious. Your vaccinated pup can still pick up canine cough, even after receiving the Bordetella vaccine. Much like the flu or the common cold, there are many germs that can cause the symptoms of canine cough.
What to watch out for:
🐾 COUGHING
🐾 SNEEZING
🐾 GREENISH DISCHARGE from eyes and nose
🐾 GENERAL LETHARGY or loss of appetite
We have been made aware of a few canine cough cases in the Leeds and Grenville community. Even with Apple Ridge Farm's vaccine requirements and very strict cleaning protocols in place, this illness can be contagious when dogs play together and share water bowls. We ask that if your pup is currently experiencing symptoms, please keep them home, limit social interactions for at least 7-14 days & consult your veterinarian. Encourage rest, avoidance of excitement, and avoidance of neck leashes/pulling on the leash.
We can’t wait to see your pup back, when they’re 100% and ready to play! Thanks for helping to!

Thank you
Apple Ridge Farm Team