Canine respiratory disease scaring pet owners away from veterinarians
After the rise of a virus dubbed "kennel cough," many dog owners have grown wary of bringing their animals to groomers, boarders, and even the vet.
This has created a problem for the facilities designed to care for these beloved pets especially when the get canine respiratory disease
"We've noticed a significant decline, anywhere from 25% to 35%of our normal every day," Diane Cuniff, owner of the dog daycare The Bone Adventure. "Clients have elected to stay away. The good news is that 65% to 75% of them are still coming."
However, employees have been affected, with their hours getting cut.
Trepidatious owners have also refrained from bringing their dogs to veterinarians, especially at the Newport Mesa Animal Hospital.
"We've had people with sick animals not come in here because they're worried about the virus," medical director Dr. Tom Irwin said. "It's complex. It's kind of like the common cold. It's not a new disease. It's endemic which means it's part of the dog population. Always has been, always will be. It's not an epidemic where you get a huge spike in cases."
Irwin said it's vital that dog owners keep their pets up to date on vaccinations to prevent diseases.
"For my pet, I would be much more inclined to go to a daycare facility or boarding facility where the pets are better than to go to a dog park," he said. "The dog park is the great unknown."
At The Bone Adventure, every dog must be up-to-date with vaccinations. Additionally, the heating and air conditioning systems circulate fresh outside air, and there's enough staff to monitor the dogs and spot illnesses, such as coughs.
"It depends on how deep this goes and how long it lasts on whether we're going to lay people off or not," Cuniff said.
