When can my puppy go to daycare/dog park after kennel cough & giardia?

Many diseases can be incubating for a period of time before symptoms are obvious. For Bordetella (one of the causes of kennel cough) that period is 5-7 days, for Giardia 1-2 weeks and for parvovirus 3-7 days. So depending on when your puppy was adopted it is possible that she was affected with these diseases before her spay surgery. The stress of surgery can also cause stress on a dog's immune system. Even though she was at the shelter for 6 weeks she may not have been exposed to kennel cough until near the end of her stay. I hope Grace is feeling better soon.

Kennel cough is very contagious and can be bacterial and/or viral. The bordetella vaccine can help shorten the course of disease if your dog is exposed, but does not prevent infection. With a deep cleaning and decontamination, the daycare facility should be able to eliminate it for now. Great job of them letting their customers know of the illness at their facility! I would wait at least a week to make sure they haven't had any more infected dogs.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mia. Giardia is spread through a fecal oral route. Typically good hygiene and washing your hands thoroughly prohibits this from occurring. I would not let her lick your mouth. Scoop the feces in the yard frequently and wash your hands afterwards. She should stay home from doggie daycare until the infection is resolved. I hope this information helps!

Hi there! Usually dogs that are infected with giardia can be tested after treatment to make sure they aren't still shedding the organism. You can always request the client retest after the completion of treatment, which is usually done anyway to make sure the organism is gone. Giardia can be hard to get rid of, so a lot of vets will do this. There is a client handout about giardia that I really like that I will paste below. It also gives you instructions as to how to eradicate the organism in the environment. A way to play it safe would be for you to have this dog be your last appointment of the day and then disinfect if that works with your schedule. Otherwise, I think a negative retest would be sufficient when the dog is finished with the treatment plan from its vet. Here is the client handout with some great information for you! https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952529

Poor Rosie! Tracheobronchitis can be contagious to other dogs. She may be contagious for a few weeks as there are multiple organisms that can cause it and they can persist for varying periods of time. Your veterinarian may have more specific recommendations or the dog daycare may want her to be rechecked prior to her going back.

Giardia is transmitted through contact with an infected dog's poop, so it would be a good idea to give her rear end a quick wash before any outings with other dogs to make sure everything is clean. If she has an accident during the play date, make sure to clean it up and disinfect the area. There is no risk of transmission from casual contact, playing together, sniffing noses, etc. so it should still be fine for her to get out and socialize as long as you take appropriate precautions :)

I hate t hear Max is having this issue. Most puppies with Giardia are fine to vaccinate as long as they are not lethargic, not eating well, vomiting or have severe diarrhea. Mild, non-bloody loose stool in a puppy who is active and eating well can generally be vaccinated (though you may space them out to be more safe). Also, giardia testing needs to be done 4-6 weeks after treatment to be sure the parasite is gone. Some pets will need a combination of medication to kill the parasite. Make sure to check with Max's vet to make sure it is ok to vaccinate him and to make sure Max is getting the correct medication. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.