Salina Animal Services
The Salina Animal Shelter is currently experiencing a round of kennel cough in our facility.
According to a post made on social media by the shelter, a stray dog was brought into the facility before the holiday weekend. This dog may have been the cause of the outbreak.
The Shelter is pausing adoptions, surrenders and stray intakes for all dogs to help prevent a spread of this air borne illness. All dogs are given a Bordetella vaccine upon intake to the facility but like all vaccines they are not 100% effective.
Shelter protocol for dogs with kennel cough, also known as Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC), should include isolation, cleaning, and treatment. These are the steps shelter staff are taking at the Salina animal Shelter:
Isolation
Isolate positive cases in a separate room, or at a vet hospital if no isolation room is available. Quarantine exposed dogs for 14 days after treatment begins, or until they are no longer contagious.
Cleaning
Use proper personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, gowns, and shoe covers when coming into contact with a suspected animal or entering isolation. Disinfect contaminated items like bowls, toys, and bedding using a dishwasher, washing machine, or hot water.
Treatment
Treatment is usually symptomatic and supportive, and may include antibiotics, maintaining hydration and nutrition, and minimizing excitement. More severely affected dogs may need more aggressive treatment, such as hospitalization or oxygen support.
The shelter dogs will have a follow up visit with the shelter veterinarian on 7-25-2024. The shelter will have more information following this secondary examination.