Sophie is 8 months old and has been going to daycare for 4 months. She loves it there and the employees there are so good to her. She goes 2 days a week but she has been chronically sick for 4 months. Kennel cough (which is know is common), 2 rounds of giardia, a cold, a UTI infection, and she throws up and/or has diarrhea every night after daycare from eating stuff there, even if they put a muzzle on her. We took our previous pup heee for years and had no issues. It’s a highly recommended place in the community. My question is…does Sophie just have a bad immune system and sensitive tummy? Is this normal for dogs in daycare so young? Is it just her? if you send your pup to daycare-please let me know if you had similar experiences. I’m at my wits end. I work a few days a week in the office and have to be able to take her somewhere while I’m gone. I feel like this is uncommon.
Well, kennel cough is extremely common at daycare settings and giardia is easily spreadable and unless specifically tested for, other dog may have it unknown to their owners. Do you know if your daycare has a strict cleaning protocol? Daycares (and dog parks) are known for being spaces that your dog is more likely to catch something from. My bigger concern is that your dog is eating things at daycare; while I have only sent my older dog to a few trials at daycares and not regularly, there has never been access to anything they could ingest at any of those daycares. I would be asking questions and would consider not sending my dog back if there is a consistent pattern of diarrhea and/or vomiting. Maybe a dog walker would be a solution for the days you work?
They have an indoor and sun outdoor play area. The outdoor play area is the issue. Sophie eats everything outside if she’s not watched. Mainly bark on trees, branches, dirt etc. we have started using a muzzle when she’s in the outdoor setting but I fear they just can’t watch her close enough. Maybe I should use a dog walker until she’s older and thru the “eating everything” phase. It’s disheartening cuz she loves going and playing there, and she loves the workers, but I feel bad that she’s always sick!
Daycares are not regulated - it sounds to me like they don’t have have enough staff to watch her or have too many dogs. She shouldn’t be left unsupervised to eat anything. The things she’s eating also shouldn’t make her sick if it is just bark/sticks/grass for the short periods they take their eyes off her.
