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hlboyz
QueenLaQuintli
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 11921
Location: Paradise
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 Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:40 pm Post subject: Isolation/quarantine procedures |
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This is a very individual thing, but what I do FWIW... not set in stone, but I TRY... It is so VERY WORTH IT if it means you can save a dog's life, vet it, provide fostering, rehoming... even if it means a little extra work and inconvenience for a few weeks. Many shelters will euthanize sick pups so if this is something you can do, by all means offer!
First of all, NO EXCEPTIONS. Unless I know the home firsthand. Shelters, impounds, rescues, kennels, petshops, private homes, etc. may all have pups which have been exposed to dogs with unknown backgrounds. Some are better than others, but this depends on your comfort level. I owe my own rescued pups a safe home and I owe any rescue pup a safe environment. Isolation/guarantine is not only important for your pups but for the foster pup. A pup with an unknown background will most likely be given vaccines and it must be assumed for the first time. This may either mean the pup is getting their first round of vaccines or being over=vaccinated - either way their immune system is not up to par. Add that plus parasites (ticks, fleas, mosquitos, worms, etc), poor nutrition, emotional and physical stress, etc. which weaken the immune system...
I only adopt from high volume high kill impounds where I already assume the worst. I wear disposable shoes (thongs) and clothes that can be washed in bleach and hot water when visiting shelters. Keep hand sanitizer in the car too. I don't touch the animals in the shelter either. I know that seems wierd but I always just take a dog that is selected without any testing or interaction for various reasons. If a dog is going home with me, I don't want it exposed to the communal yard either one last time so I request it be taken straight to the vetting center for it's chip, vacs, etc. I usually get an earful from the shelter workers or local vet techs on what is coming out of the shelters and believe me they know and will tell you more than the shelter itself. At the same time, no one wants to scare people from adopting either when chances are the pup will remain healthy. Most shelters have a health disclaimer and recommendation/requirement that the pup be wellness vetted and proper precautions be taken as the dog has been in a contagious situation for adopters. As rescuers, we should know this already but I know some feign ignorance and blame the shelter.
Upon leaving the shelter, the dog is either transported via a plastic pet taxi (bleached and hosed down outside afterwards at home) or otherwise not allowed access to the grounds except to walk to the car/crate. Crate for safety AND hygiene. Shoes are bagged for disposal. A pup can pick up parvo, worms, fleas or any number of diseases while being vetted or on the way out of the shelter. Even if they have been dewormed, vacc-ed and de-fleaed (capstar) I will stop on the way home or and/or before getting to my house to air the dog in an area which is not for dogs. When arriving if my pups are crated downstairs (the norm when going out of town for the day), the new pup is taken immediately to the bath and given a thorough washing, ear and eye flush and put in a clean soft crate in the closed garage and I take a shower and clothes go upstairs into the washer. THEN my dogs are taken outside for airing while I sneak the new kid into the quarantine room downstairs into a crate with fresh bedding, water and bowl of food. My isolation area is usually the storeroom/rec room downstairs. In Giz's case (for those new, this was a geriatric coated breed pup who was hairless,blind, heart worm positive, malnourished, etc. and all of 3 lbs that could barely stand up), a jacuzzi "x-pen" nicely padded and papered turned out to be ideal in my master bath where he could not only be quarantined but recuperate as he did not need access to the yard, had food 24/7 and plenty of down time to rest and mommy time when he was ready. This was for his own benefit not necessarily to protect my pups, and he needed to be much healthier before being introduced to the crew, not to mention I needed to Giz-proof the house/yard. Once he was ready for the rest of the bathroom, I put another bed in there so he could roam a little and he only slept in the jacuzzi for safety overnight.
Vet visits are arranged immediately - usually the next day - and after bathing/grooming and evaluation by myself so that we can get right down to things. I am careful with their exposure at the clinic and my vet knows the pup is from a high volume high kill shelter too. We run fecal/urinalysis and blood work as well as the vet's examination. The usual observation time is 7 days. We do not put dogs on ABs or meds without reason or outward sign of illness prior to the results of the tests, preferring to let the dogs immune system do it's job. After that it is a case by case basis depending on the tests and signs of illness within the first 7 days. Then there is 3 days afterward to be certain. With the canine flu and asymptomatic pups being able to shed the virus over 2 weeks (!) that most certainly changed things... but I still usually go 10 days at the most if a dog remains healthy, unless I know there has been canine flu in the area or that impound. If the dog becomes sick, at that point it is up to your vet how you treat it, and the isolation time and symptoms which you can go by. The "dog" car and isolation areas are off limits to my pups until I am certain no danger exists.
During the quarantine, the dog is isolated in a crate in a room with the door closed and a towel placed at the bottom and sprayed with lysol. Gets loads of grooming and one on one attention while there as well as some evaluation as to temperment. Crate trained and potty trained at the same time. Outside time every 4 hours or so. Only allowed in the yard and on the shelled areas, which are picked up (fecal) immediately and sprayed/squirted with bleach. They are not allowed outside of my yard to do their business or be exposed to someone else's pup doing their's either. They do not go visiting to dog-stores or homes with pups either. I keep a smock type outfit in the quarantine room so that I can cuddle with the new pup and leave exposed clothes in the room. No germs and less smells for my dogs to get a whiff of. I use hand sanitizer when leaving the room and wash hands often before and after handling the new kid.
It can be a long process (especially if they do get sick!) but so very worth it to do it right IMO. And there are always risks even with the best of routines. Like others, I have made exceptions though and been sorry. I have to also add that the quarantine makes it easier when introducing the pups. Certainly they know there is another dog no matter how hard one tries, so by the time they are individually introduced off the property in a nuetral area, it is almost ho-hum at that point and it goes pretty smoothly from my experience.
Excuse the long-windedness! Jeez! Oh well, haven't been on for awhile so am making up for it  |
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DE
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:51 pm Post subject: |
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I made this a sticky as it is an excellent resource to consult for new foster parents.
Thank you Hlboyz very much. |
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HHJEN
Show dog
Joined: 02 Mar 2007
Posts: 706
Location: MA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:34 am Post subject: |
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| Great info, thank you so much! |
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Indiana's mom
Unicorn Maiden
Joined: 21 May 2006
Posts: 12662
Location: In a pond of Lotus Flowers
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:58 am Post subject: |
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| This is great info. Thank you for taking the time to type it up for us. |
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ResQ Qt
Best in Show
Joined: 20 Sep 2008
Posts: 1433
Location: The Heart of it All
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| Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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| A HUGE thank you! |
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