Important Information
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Dear Adopter:
Congratulations on considering a rescue dog as the newest member of your family.
There are some important issues that we want you to understand when adopting a
dog or puppy from any rescue or shelter and explain the level of care a dog will
receive while in our care.
First, the dog has been fed either an Iams or Eukanuba diet appropriate for their age.
These are AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) approved foods
for their excellence and are recommended by our vet. When indicated, dogs will
receive a prescription diet which is either Iams or Eukanuba and obtained from the
veterinarian. These usually consist of low residue diets or high calorie diets for those
dogs or puppies that require a short term special diet.
VACCINES
It is very important to understand vaccinations. As stated in the AAHA (American
Animal Hospital Association) Canine Vaccination Guidelines for Shelters and
Rescues, “to practice shelter medicine is to practice in an environment where
eradication of infectious diseases is not an attainable goal. For vaccines that offer
significant protection against common and severe infectious diseases, the appropriate
vaccination program is more aggressive than is generally indicated in private
practice.” What this means is that shelters and rescues are on a different, more
aggressive vaccination schedule than a privately owned dog or puppy. We strictly
follow these guidelines in an effort to ensure the best possible protection for every
dog and puppy in our care.
The recommended vaccines are distemper, adeno 2, parvo, parainfluenza and
intranasal bordetella which are repeated every 2 weeks while in the shelter
environment. Under these guidelines, puppies coming into rescue are also to be
vaccinated as early as 4 weeks to be repeated every 2 weeks until the age of 16
weeks. Modified live vaccines are also indicated over killed vaccines to allow for
quicker immunity. It is also important to understand that vaccines are not ‘instant
immunity’ and not guaranteed protection.
PARASITES
Understanding internal parasites in a shelter environment can be very confusing and
frustrating. Stress is a leading contributing factor in disease and shelters are very
stressful. According to CAPC (Companion Animal Parasite Council) guidelines, every
single dog and puppy is given worming medication upon intake and repeated at least
every 2 weeks until 3 months of age. Because of the high incidence of coccidia and
giardia in rescue environments, dogs and puppies are treated prophylactically but
again, this is in no way a guarantee your dog will not have either of these. You need
to fully understand that these are stress induced diseases which means that your dog
can be completely symptom free here in rescue and then develop symptoms upon the
stress of going to a new home. This is normal and to be expected when adopting a
rescue dog. You must be prepared that you may need to take your dog in for
treatment shortly after adoption as it is impossible for us to ensure your dog is free of
coccidia and/or giardia, for example. NO rescue or shelter can give this guarantee.
It's simply impossible.
Stress induced symptoms are difficult to distinguish from infectious disease because
many dogs will develop diarrhea from either stress, change of food, etc. Other factors
include high volume and turnover in shelters, isolation is difficult, shedding of
infectious diseases often occurs before the symptoms begin, test results are
unreliable and often give false negatives, and then there are some dogs who never
become clinical which means that they never develop symptoms but are still carriers.
Again, it is not uncommon for a dog to show no symptoms until after they’ve gone to
their new homes. All of these issues are important for you to understand when
adopting a rescued animal, regardless of the shelter or rescue it is coming from.
While we try our best to limit exposure – disinfecting bowls and kennels with diluted
bleach solution, wearing latex gloves, using disposable cleaning items whenever
possible, exercising good hand washing and sanitizing, etc. – it is impossible to
eliminate all exposure. Many diseases can live in the ground for up to 2 years and
withstand harsh temperatures as well as being carried on our clothes and shoes. It is
also impossible to disinfect the ground, grass, or gravel.
It is our recommendation that you schedule an appointment for your new dog or
puppy at your earliest convenience and take in a stool sample for testing. Be sure to
take in your health card so that your veterinarian can see what care has already been
provided. It is not recommended that you make any dietary changes until your dog
has settled in to his new routine. It is also recommended that you don’t overexcite
your new dog and keep things calm to allow him or her a chance to get settled.
These are all things that you can do to reduce stress and help the transition go
smoother.
Thank you again for considering adopting a very special addition to your family. If
you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
A1 K9 Rescue
Congratulations on considering a rescue dog as the newest member of your family.
There are some important issues that we want you to understand when adopting a
dog or puppy from any rescue or shelter and explain the level of care a dog will
receive while in our care.
First, the dog has been fed either an Iams or Eukanuba diet appropriate for their age.
These are AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) approved foods
for their excellence and are recommended by our vet. When indicated, dogs will
receive a prescription diet which is either Iams or Eukanuba and obtained from the
veterinarian. These usually consist of low residue diets or high calorie diets for those
dogs or puppies that require a short term special diet.
VACCINES
It is very important to understand vaccinations. As stated in the AAHA (American
Animal Hospital Association) Canine Vaccination Guidelines for Shelters and
Rescues, “to practice shelter medicine is to practice in an environment where
eradication of infectious diseases is not an attainable goal. For vaccines that offer
significant protection against common and severe infectious diseases, the appropriate
vaccination program is more aggressive than is generally indicated in private
practice.” What this means is that shelters and rescues are on a different, more
aggressive vaccination schedule than a privately owned dog or puppy. We strictly
follow these guidelines in an effort to ensure the best possible protection for every
dog and puppy in our care.
The recommended vaccines are distemper, adeno 2, parvo, parainfluenza and
intranasal bordetella which are repeated every 2 weeks while in the shelter
environment. Under these guidelines, puppies coming into rescue are also to be
vaccinated as early as 4 weeks to be repeated every 2 weeks until the age of 16
weeks. Modified live vaccines are also indicated over killed vaccines to allow for
quicker immunity. It is also important to understand that vaccines are not ‘instant
immunity’ and not guaranteed protection.
PARASITES
Understanding internal parasites in a shelter environment can be very confusing and
frustrating. Stress is a leading contributing factor in disease and shelters are very
stressful. According to CAPC (Companion Animal Parasite Council) guidelines, every
single dog and puppy is given worming medication upon intake and repeated at least
every 2 weeks until 3 months of age. Because of the high incidence of coccidia and
giardia in rescue environments, dogs and puppies are treated prophylactically but
again, this is in no way a guarantee your dog will not have either of these. You need
to fully understand that these are stress induced diseases which means that your dog
can be completely symptom free here in rescue and then develop symptoms upon the
stress of going to a new home. This is normal and to be expected when adopting a
rescue dog. You must be prepared that you may need to take your dog in for
treatment shortly after adoption as it is impossible for us to ensure your dog is free of
coccidia and/or giardia, for example. NO rescue or shelter can give this guarantee.
It's simply impossible.
Stress induced symptoms are difficult to distinguish from infectious disease because
many dogs will develop diarrhea from either stress, change of food, etc. Other factors
include high volume and turnover in shelters, isolation is difficult, shedding of
infectious diseases often occurs before the symptoms begin, test results are
unreliable and often give false negatives, and then there are some dogs who never
become clinical which means that they never develop symptoms but are still carriers.
Again, it is not uncommon for a dog to show no symptoms until after they’ve gone to
their new homes. All of these issues are important for you to understand when
adopting a rescued animal, regardless of the shelter or rescue it is coming from.
While we try our best to limit exposure – disinfecting bowls and kennels with diluted
bleach solution, wearing latex gloves, using disposable cleaning items whenever
possible, exercising good hand washing and sanitizing, etc. – it is impossible to
eliminate all exposure. Many diseases can live in the ground for up to 2 years and
withstand harsh temperatures as well as being carried on our clothes and shoes. It is
also impossible to disinfect the ground, grass, or gravel.
It is our recommendation that you schedule an appointment for your new dog or
puppy at your earliest convenience and take in a stool sample for testing. Be sure to
take in your health card so that your veterinarian can see what care has already been
provided. It is not recommended that you make any dietary changes until your dog
has settled in to his new routine. It is also recommended that you don’t overexcite
your new dog and keep things calm to allow him or her a chance to get settled.
These are all things that you can do to reduce stress and help the transition go
smoother.
Thank you again for considering adopting a very special addition to your family. If
you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
A1 K9 Rescue
