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Our staff is trained to first use very firm, short voice commands (e.g. Leave It! No! Down!) to thwart unwanted behaviors such as mounting or excessive barking. If words are ineffective, the staff uses mini squirt bottles to spray water toward the unruly pet. And if that doesn’t work, we will put the pet in “time out” by separating him from the playgroup for 15-30 minutes, which is usually a sufficient amount of time for that pet to refocus his attention. All pet discipline is simply designed to break the pet’s focus on unwanted behavior. In rare, extreme cases (i.e. fights), we have airhorns available that could be deployed to break up the disturbance. Further discipline will only occur when/if there is a risk of serious injury to another animal.

Not likely! Enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts. Most guests are exhausted from hours of play during their vacation with us, and we would be more surprised if they weren’t. Remember, your pet is probably used to sleeping most of the day at home. Since he has been with us, he has had non-stop stimulation, with the exception of a mid-day nap and overnight rest. That can be pretty taxing on even the most energetic breeds. However, if he does not seem like himself even after a couple of days of rest, you may wish to contact your veterinarian for a wellness check.

Doubtful. Since this happens frequently with your pet, it is most likely stress-induced colitis, which is an inflammation of the colon, oftentimes associated with travel-related stress. The signs of colitis include painful defecation that resembles constipation, flatulence, and small stools mixed with blood and mucus. Most pets will recover from this illness within a day or two when their routine is re-established, and stress levels decrease. Again, please consult your veterinarian if symptoms persist or if diarrhea is accompanied by a loss of appetite and/or vomiting. If you did not send your dog’s usual food with him, this could also contribute to the problem. We feed Purina One Lamb and Rice (for $5 per day, per pet) if food was not sent, which is a gentle and high-quality option, but changing a diet suddenly can still cause digestive issues. We highly recommend sending your dog’s usual food with him the next time you board with us.

Unfortunately, it can be. While we take every precaution to ensure that pets go home happy and healthy, it is a communal environment, much like that of a child daycare, where occupants are happy to share anything and everything. Kennel cough in dogs is similar to the common cold in people. It is extremely contagious, not usually dangerous, and there are many strains. The Bordetella vaccine, much like the human flu vaccine, does not protect against each and every strain. The vaccine should, however, shorten the duration of the illness and/or minimize the symptoms of kennel cough should your pet contract it. According to WebMD, “Although most cases of kennel cough will resolve without treatment, medications may speed recovery or minimize symptoms during the course of infection.” It is important to keep your pet away from other pets while symptoms persist to prevent the spread of the illness.

 Having said that, it is also important to recognize that your pet may simply be suffering from seasonal allergies that produce similar symptoms in dogs. Remember, we spend a lot more time outside with our guests, exposing them to pollen and other allergens for extended time periods that can produce upper respiratory complications. In either case, that of kennel cough or upper respiratory illness caused by allergies, symptoms should lessen as your pet readjusts to her home environment and catches up on rest. If your pet is not recovering on her own, please consult your veterinarian, who will likely prescribe an antibiotic and a cough tab.

We require that all of our guests are properly vaccinated. If a guest does appear symptomatic for any respiratory illness while he is in our care, we will quarantine the pet and contact the owner and/or one of our partner veterinarians regarding veterinary care. Unfortunately, a pet can be infected with kennel cough for up to a week before he displays symptoms, so it’s not always possible to identify kennel cough among incoming guests.

Another precaution we take is unparalleled cleanliness and disinfecting habits. Those of you who have toured our facility know that we maintain a very clean facility, which is why the majority of our guests are returned to their owners in the same healthful condition in which they arrived. We are not a traditional kennel where stalls are hosed down into open drains, and dampness prevails, assisting the spread of illnesses such as kennel cough. The floors of our facility are very dry and very sanitary. We also have dual-unit ultraviolet (UV) germicidal lamps installed in each of our HVAC systems, which kill any mold or bacteria as it passes through the air handlers.

In a perfect world, these measures would be enough to prevent kennel cough from ever being an issue at our facility. But because we live in the real world, we also have to rely on our customers to keep sick pets at home or make boarding arrangements at veterinary clinics where they can be treated, rather than bringing them to The Island Pawplex where other pets may be exposed to the illness.

Just like people, some pets have stronger immune systems than others. Dogs who are around other dogs regularly develop immunity to many common illnesses. Dogs who rarely leave the home aren’t exposed to many germs; therefore, they have not had that advantage. Some veterinarians suggest that pet parents add probiotics to their pet’s diet a week before a scheduled boarding, during, and a week after to boost immunity. While much information on this topic is available online, you may wish to consult your veterinarian about the best precautionary treatment for your pet. Keep in mind that senior pets, puppies, and pets with underlying health issues are always more vulnerable to contracting illnesses because their immune systems are usually compromised to some degree.