Tips for Avoiding Kennel Cough While Your Dog is in a Boarding Kennel

Thousands of pet owners will be travelling during the upcoming holiday season and leaving their pets at boarding kennels. But with so much traffic going in and out of these kennels, the chance of your dog catching kennel cough greatly increases.

Kennel cough, or Tracheobronchitis, is caused by a highly contagious airborne virus, and is a type of upper respiratory infection in dogs. The symptoms are dry, hacking cough that may sound as if the dog has a bone caught in his throat. Even though kennel cough is rarely deadly, it can be very expensive for your vet to treat.

If you are boarding your dog this holiday season, here are a few tips to help stop them from coming home with kennel cough.

• Make sure the kennel has an effective, daily clean-up process and follows a strict schedule of disinfecting with the proper chemicals. 
• Make sure the kennel provides clean, individual water and feeding bowls for each animal.
• Make sure the kennel requires the proper immunisation requirements to help prevent other dogs infecting your dog. 
• Make sure the kennel has proper climate control and that the animals are protected from the elements. Cold temperatures can increase the chances of your dog contracting kennel cough.
• Clean all your pet's toys, bedding, and anything else you supply both before and after boarding. 
• Check to see if the kennel or boarding facility you are using is a member of your national kennel or boarding association. 

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