EL PASO COUNTY, Colorado — Dogs are a part of many of our families. Yet when it comes to holiday travel, these fur babies frequently stay home with a pet sitter or in a kennel.
Concern over the spread of an unknown respiratory virus in dogs this season doesn't seem to be discouraging travel plans in Southern Colorado.
The Boardmoor Pet Resort in Fountain is fully booked full for Thanksgiving weekend, and spaces are quickly filling up for Christmas and New Year.
The small business opened in September of 2022. Owner Dan O'Sullivan incorporated pet health and safety into the design of the building.
"One of the things you want to prevent is nose-to-nose contact on a large scale," O'Sullivan said.
The pet suites have solid panels between them that reach up to 4 feet high. A pump system circulates hot water through thousands of feet of tubing buried in the concrete floor to warm the surface.
O'Sullivan said they frequently wash and disinfect the floors, but never with a mop.
"That may sound strange, but mops just spread germs," O'Sullivan said.
"Everything here is washed directly to a drain."
The heated floor helps dry the surface and keep the dogs comfortable. The building also has large vent fans that draw in fresh air rather than circulate the air inside the building.
Manager Jennifer Armstrong explained the company has taken additional steps to protect pets in their care since the news came out about the respiratory outbreak.
"We use the best disinfectant we can find, and we've increased our disinfectant to include all common areas," Armstrong said.
"All the aisle-ways in the kennel are being disinfected now, and all of the play areas between groups are being disinfected."
Those precautions include turning away customers who have a dog that is not vaccinated or is showing signs of illness.
"You never like to say no because that's somebody's plans that you'd be upsetting, but you've got to," O'Sullivan said.
Colorado State Veterinarian Dr. Maggie Baldwin said the Colorado Department of Agriculture and the USDA are working with researchers at Colorado State University to study this outbreak. They've distributed rapid test kits to animal hospitals to try and collect samples from sick dogs early into an infection.
"One of the really challenging things when you're dealing with respiratory viruses is that they're only shed in the respiratory tract for a certain period of time," Baldwin explained.
All current tests from infected dogs have come back negative for common respiratory illnesses like Kennel Cough and Canine Influenza.
"That doesn't mean what we're seeing is new, or novel, it just means what we're seeing we haven't diagnosed it yet," Dr. Baldwin said.
She encourages pet owners to contact their veterinarian right away if their dog is coughing, has nasal or eye discharge, is feverish, or lethargic. She also urges pet owners to keep their dogs up-to-date on vaccinations and to limit their exposure to other dogs.
"Of course with holidays and with travel, that's not always possible," Baldwin said. "So, we recommend everyone consult with their veterinarian and consult with their veterinarians on what their veterinarian recommends for their pets. Their veterinarian knows their pets best."
Armstrong recommends taking a tour of any kennel you may be planning to use for an upcoming holiday trip and to get to know the people who will be caring for your animals while you are away.
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