Our Approach to your pup's Health and Well Being

Our approach to minimizing infectious diseases is multi-faceted with strict eligibility requirements and rigorous sanitation protocols
Eligibility Requirements

All pet parents should understand that there is an inherent risk when exposing your dog to other dogs and new environments.  Many illnesses that affect our dogs’ health are most often picked up in places we take our dogs.  Dogs are unwittingly exposed to illnesses at dog parks, while on walks, in pet stores, at the groomers, and even during vet visits.

However, pet parents should also take comfort in knowing that the benefits and rewards of bonding with your dog, socialization, mental stimulation, and exercise in doggie daycare certainly outweigh those risks.

At Bow chika Wow Town, we are very aware that you are entrusting us with a treasured member of your family.  We are honored that you have chosen us to care for your dog and take caring for their health and well-being very seriously.

All pups entering the facility must be at least 16 weeks old and fully vaccinated; including their 3rd round of the Distemper vaccine.  Pet parents must show proof of vaccinations before entrance is granted to use these services.   See HERE for our full vaccination requirements.   In addition to our vaccination requirements, all pups older than 7 months of age must be Spayed/Neutered.

All pups entering the facility must be at least 16 weeks old and fully vaccinated; including their 3rd round of the Distemper vaccine.  We must have proof of vaccinations before your scheduled appointment.  We do not require a fecal test for Grooming only services.   See HERE for our full vaccination requirement

All pups entering the facility must be at least 16 weeks old and fully vaccinated; including their 3rd round of the Distemper vaccine.  Pet parents must show proof of vaccinations before entrance is granted to use our services.   See HERE for our full vaccination requirements.   All pups older than 7 months of age must be Spayed/Neutered.   Due to the stress that boarding can create for our senior pups, we can’t accept new boarding clients over the age of 10 years.    We are more than happy to recommend some in home options for these requests.

In addition to proof of vaccinations, dogs must be able to show a negative fecal test result, including the Giardia panel.  The negative fecal test must be confirmed within one month of using our services.  Your dog’s stool must be retested every 12 months thereafter.

Our hotel guests that will participate in daycare and group play must also pass our Behavioral Assessment prior to being admitted into the play yards.

All daycare candidates must be at least 16 weeks old and fully vaccinated; including their 3rd round of the Distemper vaccine.  Daycare candidates must also pass our Behavioral Assessment prior to being admitted into the play yards.   Pet parents will show us proof of vaccinations before entrance is granted to use our services.   (See HERE for our full vaccination requirements).   All pups older than 7 months of age must be Spayed/Neutered.

In addition to proof of vaccinations, dogs must be able to show a negative fecal test result, including the Giardia panel.  The negative fecal test must be confirmed within one month of using our services.  Your dog’s stool must be retested every 12 months thereafter.

We will not knowingly accept a dog showing any signs of illness.  The health and well-being of our clients is our top priority.  We will always keep our pet parents informed of signs or symptoms of illness if presented by a dog while in our care.  We closely monitor all dog behaviors and our team communicates any changes in health or well-being.

Cleaning Protocols
Even with the most stringent sanitation procedures in place, illnesses can and do occur.  We keep a pulse on animal health news in our communities, check in with local vets for reported illnesses updates, and will reach out to the state veterinarian for information or suggestions on how to best combat new strains of diseases.  RI’s State Vet says he expects that daycare facilities will encounter illnesses, “We don’t necessarily view the presence of a disease in a boarding facility as a sign of improper management of that facility. There is no way to absolutely stop all infectious diseases.”

Our facility is cleaned daily and we use the following equipment and cleaners to keep germs at bay and maintain cleanliness:

The Wave is a wet/dry vacuum system that reduces bacteria and germs by completely removing contaminants from the area while cleaning the surfaces.  This is a much more reliable, healthier and overall improved alternative to using mops and buckets that re- distribute allergens and germs throughout the indoor play space.
This top of the line purifier is ideal for animal clinics, veterinarian hospitals, animal rescue shelters, boarding facilities and pet stores with odors, infectious disease vulnerability and needs for sanitized treatment and isolation.

This will quickly and effectively reduce carbon-based contaminants, including mold, bacteria, viruses, odors, chemicals and volatile organic compounds, dander, pollen and other aeroallergens, providing fresh, clean smelling air.

WSYIWASH Disinfectant–  Wysiwash deodorizes as it disinfects—making it the perfect solution for animal-care applications.  It is pet safe, non-toxic and eco-friendly.   The active ingredients in wysiwash have been shown in numerous tests to be effective against:  Distemper, Coronavirus, Giardia, Leptospira, Listeria, Canine Parvovirus, MRSA, E. Coli, Salmonella, Avian Influenza (Bird Flu), Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus.

Effersan – EfferSan packs a punch when it comes to sanitizing and disinfecting, but has far greater benefits than a bleach alternative.  For starters, it’s mild, non-irritating, and highly effective in eliminating and controlling odors.  Unlike bleach and other harsh cleaning chemicals,  EfferSan has a neutral pH desirable for animal and user safety.   We use Effersan for spot cleaning play areas and our boarding suites.

OdoBan – is an excellent sanitizer and deodorizer of areas that have been noted to be hard to clean.   Extremely versatile, Odoban as an all around all purpose cleaner and disinfectant with less toxic chemicals and harsh smells when compared to other similar products on the market.

Top Performance 256 Disinfectant is a highly effective formula for cleaning and sanitizing petcare facilities.  256 performs the process of disinfecting, cleaning and deodorizing all in one step, eliminating more than 50 viruses, including canine influenza and canine parvovirus

 

 

 

Common Issues for the Socially Active Pup
Can Dogs Get Canine Cough If Vaccinated?

YES!  Unfortunately, your dog can develop canine cough even if they are vaccinated.  Canine cough is the result of the Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria in your dog resulting in respiratory illness, or tracheobronchitis.  The disease can also be purely viral and the vaccine for the bacteria normally associated with it will be ineffective.

Several factors can cause your dog to contract the disease in spite of being vaccinated. These include:
  • Compromised immune system, as is often present when a dog is in an unfamiliar environment and stressed, such as a boarding kennel
  • Having been exposed to the virus shortly before vaccination
  • Timing of the vaccinations
    • The intranasal bordetella vaccine may take 72 hours for your dog to generate an immune response
    • The injectable form of the vaccine may take 5 days to generate an immune response while the vaccines pumps through the dog’s body
    • The orally administered vaccine has shown in clinical studies to offer dogs a robust immune response after a single dose
    • Vaccine wearing off after 6 months

The good news is the condition will usually resolve on its own.  If it becomes severe, medication can help fight bacterial infection and cough symptoms.  Canine cough is very contagious and your dog can acquire it or pass it on easily from other dogs.  Should your pup start to display symptoms (strong cough, runny nose, sneezing) they should be isolated from other dogs while infected.

There are two strains of the virus that cause Canine Influenza, or the dog flu: H3N8 and H3N2.  Both strains primarily infect the respiratory system and are extremely contagious.  While some dogs become ill with dog flu, others can be exposed to the virus and fight off infection without ever getting sick.

Dogs that are infected with the canine influenza virus may develop either a mild case or a more severe case.   Dogs with a mild case will have a cough that is typically moist and can have nasal discharge.  Occasionally, it will be more of a dry cough. In most cases, the symptoms will last 10 to 30 days and usually will go away on their own.  It’s similar to kennel cough but persists longer. These dogs may benefit from dog flu treatment to reduce the duration or severity of symptoms.  Dogs with more severe symptoms  may have a high fever (above 104 degrees Fahrenheit) and develop signs very quickly.  Pneumonia can also develop.

If your dog develops the signs of dog flu described when there is an outbreak in the region, see your veterinarian as soon as possible.  Often, our local news will warn of an outbreak of the dog flu.  However, if your dog has traveled, or comes into contact with dogs who travel, call your veterinarian about your dog’s symptoms in case your dog is the first locally to acquire canine influenza.  There is a blood  test that can support a canine influenza diagnosis.

Dog day care settings that include off-leash play groups do have inherent risks.  Bow chika Wow Town can be a very active and interactive environment for your dog.  Many of our dogs enjoy rough and tumble play.  We do break up play that gets too rough; the dogs can get pretty rambunctious.

Dogs use their teeth like we use our hands; they grab each other by the neck and nibble, steal balls, run and play with one another. Minor injuries such as nicks, cuts, scrapes and strained muscles do happen. Additionally, dogs do have disagreements from time to time and fighting is a possibility.  Our staff are trained to break up any dog disturbances that may occur.

Fleas and ticks are not only a problem because they can spread from dog to dog, but they are also a heath issue.  They transmit diseases and parasites when they bite your dog.  Please check your dog daily, especially if you have been somewhere where your dog could have picked them up.  All dogs must be on flea/tick prevention.
Giardia is a parasite that lives in your dog’s intestine. It is not a “worm”, bacteria or virus.  Some dogs are carriers who show no symptoms, but others get sick and need treatment.  Dogs develop the infection by ingesting infectious cysts that are shed in another animal’s (domestic or wild) feces.  The parasites can spread at daycare when dogs inspect each other’s rear ends or if they have direct contact with other dogs’ poop.  Giardia can be also be transmitted from the contaminated ground or by drinking contaminated water.  Your dog can be exposed to Giardia in a number of locations including streams, beaches, lakes, puddles, ponds and areas polluted with feces.

Examination by a veterinarian of your dog’s feces is necessary to determine the presence of Giardia.  If your dog exhibits symptoms of Giardia (diarrhea and vomiting), call your vet for suggested treatment options.  Before returning to Bow chika Wow Town, you will be asked to present a negative fecal test to show the parasite is no longer present.

Be sure to wash your hands after removing feces from your yard.  Babies and toddlers should be kept away from dogs that have diarrhea as Giardia is zoonotic and can infect people.

Click HERE to watch a short, but informative , video on giardia from our friends at VetVid.

 

A papilloma is a fancy term (or medical term) for a benign wart.  While they are not pretty and can grow in very inconvenient places, these oral warts are not always something to worry about.  It’s likely all dogs are exposed to the canine papilloma virus – but not all develop these rough, cauliflower-like warts, which are sometimes round, but often odd-shaped.  Young dogs (under 2 years of age) are more prone to this virus because they are still developing the immune system.  Age and ailments take a toll on older dogs, making them an easy target as well.

The canine papilloma virus is spread by direct contact (involving saliva or other secretions) – and that includes other dogs, their toys and even you (if you’ve been in contact with a dog that carries the virus).  It goes (almost) without saying, that if your dog has acquired this virus, it’s best not to let him frolic with other dogs at the dog park or in daycare.  And other dogs are all you need to worry about… the canine papilloma virus is just that: species specific. You can’t catch it – neither can your cat… or bird… or ferret… or… anyone who isn’t a dog.

As always, your veterinarian is your best source for animal health information.  If your pup is showing signs of illness, consult your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.