How to handle a kennel cough notice from daycare

First, find the date or dates of possible exposure, because every later decision counts from there. Second, find out which group, room or service was involved, since a dog in a different playgroup or only in for a groom faces a different risk. Third, read what the daycare is asking of you: to watch your dog, to keep it home for a period, or simply to let them know if signs appear. If any of the three is missing, ask.

Then put the risk in proportion. Kennel cough is a complex of viral and bacterial infections that spreads through coughing and sneezing, close contact and shared objects. The AKC gives the time from exposure to first signs as anywhere from 2 to 14 days, and Cornell's veterinary college puts the average for Bordetella at about six days. Exposure is not the same as infection. The notice exists so that, if your dog does fall ill, you catch it early.

Most kennel cough is mild. Cornell's veterinary college says most cases resolve within 7 to 10 days, especially in healthy dogs treated early, and the AKC says most dogs recover within one to three weeks. Even so, call your vet when the first signs appear rather than waiting: they can confirm what it is, rule out other causes and advise on rest, and they will tell you how to arrive without exposing other patients.

Some signs cannot wait for an appointment. The AKC says a dog with a persistent cough, decreased appetite, lethargy or trouble breathing should be seen, and Cornell warns that severe cases, especially in puppies, can progress to pneumonia. If that happens after hours, Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn is open 24 hours, and the City of Gloucester keeps a list of local veterinary offices. Puppies and dogs with existing breathing or immune problems deserve a lower threshold for calling, since Cornell counts them among the dogs most at risk.

Whatever happened in the watch window, call 978 491-5922 before your dog's next daycare day, Dogtown Academy day or overnight stay. We confirm what we need for your dog on that call rather than publishing one return rule, because the answer depends on whether your dog showed signs and what your vet found. Have the exposure date, any dates signs began and ended, and your vet's advice ready; a short recovery note from the vet covers all three.

Plan the first week back gently. A dog that has rested for weeks has lost some fitness, so a half day at $33 before a full day at $42 is a kinder restart. If you have two dogs, tell us about both, because dogs in one home share air and bowls. And keep the basics current: Dogtown requires Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella on file, checked at the evaluation at 210 Eastern Ave in Gloucester.