If you need to board your dog to travel this holiday season, you may need to do it as soon as possible. Not only do kennels fill up very fast during the holidays but there is another problem facing boarding facilities, dogs and their owners: canine influenza, (‘dog flu’). According to the Denver Post, ‘dog flu’ has turned up in 40 states, including Wisconsin.
Many boarding facilities are requiring dogs to get flu shots before being boarded. Clearly, this is to prevent the spread of the flu and to protect the health of all dogs coming and going. However, other facilities are not requiring it because they are not seeing that the problem is common enough, don’t want to burden dog owners with the extra cost and share some concerns over the effectiveness of the vaccine.
Here’s what you need to know if the facility you choose requires a flu vaccination:
o The vaccination is two shots, given two to four weeks apart and the shots are approximately $20 each. (This is another reason to get going on this process as soon as possible if you need to board your dog.)
o Symptoms of this illness in dogs are cough, runny nose and fever. It does not spread to humans.
o Dogs that do not spend time around a lot of other dogs, (dog parks, doggie daycare, etc.) may not need to be vaccinated as they are at a much lower risk.
o Check with your vet before making a decision to vaccinate your dog.
Other general tips:
o Like with any decision in choosing a company, try to get at least three bids.
o Check each company’s BBB reliability report.
o Verify that the company is licensed.
o Talk with family and friends about boarding facilities they’ve used.
o Before booking, visit the facility and ask to inspect the areas where dogs are kept.