A week away from home can be quite stressful. Then, more stress on you when you pick up your loved one, who was reportedly fine at the kennel, and your baby is now sick. How many times have we been too busy to get sick, but when it’s time to relax – wham!! – come down with the flu? Same thing happens to our pets. Finally, mom and dad are here, I can let down my guard. Even the cleanest kennel with the best practices have problems like this. It’s frustrating for all.

So, what can be wrong? Kennel cough, other respiratory ailments, digestive upset, or just plain tired because of lack of sleep. (Some boarders are quite the barkers!) Digestive upset can be from diet change, or simply stress, or even different water. Respiratory illness can happen from meeting other dogs with other health environments. Kennels with indoor/outdoor runs are open to the effects of weather. More than 20 degree temperature changed in a day can lead to a viral infection.

Treatments? I use or send home bio-sponge, a bentonite clay, that binds intestinal toxins and helps with diarrhea. I send home herbal anti-viral pills that work great on those annoying respiratory conditions. Only if there is a fever or lack of eating do I look at stronger medicines. Then, next time we board, we know what to start ahead of time to prevent problems on the way home.

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