Khmer New Year is coming – is your dog protected?

Khmer New Year is one of the busiest travel periods of the year! Many families take the opportunity to visit relatives, travel around Cambodia or spend time away celebrating. During this time, a lot of dogs stay in pet hotels, boarding facilities or doggie daycare, where they can be safely looked after while their owners are away.

While boarding can be a great option, it also means that many dogs are sharing the same environment space, meeting new dogs, playing together and spending time in close proximity to one another. Just like in any place where animals gather together, many illnesses can spread more easily. One of the most common of these is kennel cough.

Kennel cough is a contagious respiratory infection complex, caused by viruses and bacteria that clinically results in a harsh, “honking cough’’, which spreads between dogs through close contact and droplets expelled from a sick coughing dog. Therefore, dogs staying in boarding facilities, visiting grooming salons, attending daycare or spending time in dog parks are all more likely to be exposed.

Vaccination is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of kennel cough, particularly before your dog spends time in a boarding environment. Many pet hotels also require this vaccine before accepting dogs, as it helps protect all the animals staying there.

If you are planning to travel during Khmer New Year and your dog will be staying at a pet hotel or boarding facility, it is a good idea to be up to date with kennel cough vaccinations. Ideally, the vaccine should be given around 2 weeks before boarding to allow time for protection to develop.

If you are unsure about your dog’s vaccination status or would like to schedule the kennel cough vaccine before the holiday period, feel free to contact our clinic, this month we offer 20% discount! We are happy to help make sure your pet stays healthy and protected during the upcoming festive season!