[mcdavis]

We had to take our dog to kennels for a week, and when we called to arrange his collection time we asked how he'd been and they said he'd contracted Bordatella a couple of days earlier and had one day where he was really feeling bad. We were shocked that they hadn't contacted us to tell us that he was ill, and when we collected him we asked what their policy was for letting owners know if the dog was ill. They (deliberately?) avoided the question by saying that he was the second dog to get ill and that they advised owners whose dogs were booked to stay if three dogs contracted Bordatella. Both the "not contacting us when he was sick" and the "waiting until three dogs were sick to advise new arrivals" concern us and we're looking for alternative kennels (as we sometimes have no choice but to put him in kennels). I plan to discuss these circumstances with potential new kennels but wondered what other experiences were, and what was considered reasonable please?

 

[CptJack]

I would not necessarily expect to be contacted for a mild case of kennel cough. It's pretty common and not usually a big deal I would not particularly care if a place had an outbreak - it's like trying to keep colds out of pre-school in some areas, there are a billion variants and vaccines do not cover them all; I imagine trying totally shut down every time is almost impossible - assuming it's a mild variant of it .

I may be a little more lax than most since I do dog sports and it happens - usually they cough and sneeze some but that's about it as far as symptoms go. Ie: They're still eating, drinking, playing, pooping normally - just the cough.

I WOULD expect to be contacted with the description 'really feeling bad' - and possibly be contacted from the vet, ffs. Especially with a puppy or older dog.

 

[mcdavis]

A bit of investigation revealed that they had several cases the week before we took him so their statement that they contact incoming owners if they have more than 3 cases appears to be incorrect! As is their statement that he was the second do to get sick. I understand that outbreaks happen, not just in kennels, but initially my concern was their avoidance of anwering a direct question about their policy for contacting owners if a dog gets sick. I just wanted them to clarify what their policy is, but now it seems that they lied about when the outbreak started so no way will he be going back there.

He's 6 so not a puppy or senior, but it's now 4 days after he was 'really feeling bad' and whilst he's now eating and drinking he's extremely lethargic. They described him as being a lot better so it is worrying just how bad he was :-( I don't think it's a really bad strain but it's not mild either.

 

[parus]

Kennels here require a bordetella vax, so the issue would be unlikely to come up. But I would expect them to contact me if my dog were to fall ill, yes.

 

[mcdavis]

Kennels here require a bordetella vax, so the issue would be unlikely to come up. But I would expect them to contact me if my dog were to fall ill, yes.

Same here, and he had the vax in May, but it only provides protection against some of the strains so unfortunately there's always a risk. In fact they require all of the usual vax plus a negative fecal test, so more than any other kennels I've ever used.

 

[CptJack]

Yes. This place sounds like it has some fairly serious issues with transparency and communication -

but it is really super important to think having the bordetella vaccination is going to mean the dog is unlikely to get it. That just, sadly, isn't the case. That belief is one of the things that exposes dogs who are super vulnerable to it - on two fronts: People think their dogs have had the vaccination so keep taking them around assuming they'll be protected and either expose directly or bring it home, and people think that there's no risk to dogs who are vaccinated short of a fluke so keep dragging their dogs around everywhere.

 

[Jen2010]

I would not expect to be contacted if my dog got kennel cough. However, I would like to know what they're definition of "really feeling bad" is. They probably should have contacted you for that.

but initially my concern was their avoidance of anwering a direct question about their policy for contacting owners if a dog gets sick.

It's very possible they don't actually have a specific policy in place.

 

[mcdavis]

I would not expect to be contacted if my dog got kennel cough. However, I would like to know what they're definition of "really feeling bad" is. They probably should have contacted you for that.

It's very possible they don't actually have a specific policy in place.

They are really bureaucratic about most things, and have loads of different forms and requirements for clients so I would expect them to have some policy around contacting customers, however if they don't have one surely they should just say that instead of avoiding the direct question. I would prefer that they said that they didn't have a specific policy but went on a case by case basis, instead of telling a blatant lie about contacting people once they had 3 cases despite knowing that the outbreak was already a few weeks in when we took him.

 

[mcdavis]

Yes. This place sounds like it has some fairly serious issues with transparency and communication -

but it is really super important to think having the bordetella vaccination is going to mean the dog is unlikely to get it. That just, sadly, isn't the case. That belief is one of the things that exposes dogs who are super vulnerable to it - on two fronts: People think their dogs have had the vaccination so keep taking them around assuming they'll be protected and either expose directly or bring it home, and people think that there's no risk to dogs who are vaccinated short of a fluke so keep dragging their dogs around everywhere.

I agree. I know the vax doesn't guarantee that he won't get it so if they'd told me they had an outbreak I'd have made alternative arrangements. I had a backup plan so it would have been very easy to do.