Top 5 Tips for Clinic Boarding Facilities From Animal Shelters

Clinic boarding and animal shelter facilities have similar health and welfare concerns, as these densely populated settings present unique challenges for maintaining physical and behavioral health of dogs and cats. Updated evidence-based guidelines for standards of care in shelters are available and can be useful for clinics offering boarding services.¹

The Five Domains Model (Table) can help improve the nutrition, environment, health, behavior, and mental state of cats and dogs in shelters.² Clinic boarding facilities may apply this framework to maximize positive experiences for patients during boarding.

Table: The Five Domains of Animal Welfare^1,2

Following are strategies from the author to help reduce patient stress during boarding, prevent disease, and ensure safety of patients and veterinary staff.

1. Addressing Housing Needs

Multicompartment housing (ie, ≥2 compartments) is fundamental for promoting animal health and safety in shelters, as the design allows staff to provide daily care while maintaining biosecurity and preventing fomite transmission of disease. Double-compartment housing, in which 2 compartments are connected by a door (ie, portal, guillotine; Figures 1 and 2), is the most common design because it separates food and rest areas from elimination areas (eg, litter boxes).^1,3 The animal can remain in the housing unit during daily care and cleaning, limiting the need for handling and reducing the risk for injury or escape. Cage doors should be open barred to allow ventilation. Cages or crates intended for temporary confinement or travel (eg, wire crates, airline crates, transport carriers) are unacceptable as primary enclosures.¹ Housing for individual adult cats should have at least 8 (ideally, 11) square feet of floor space and allow for scratching, climbing, and perching.^1,4

FIGURE 1

Illustration of a double-sided enclosure with a dog resting on an elevated bed, with food, water, and toys on one side of the enclosure. The front of the enclosure includes open bars for interaction, ventilation, and a partial visual barrier for retreat space and interaction choice. The living side is separated from the bathroom side by an open guillotine door, which facilitates daily care, has an outside safety latch, and remains open except during cleaning. The floors of the enclosure are made from durable, cleanable materials and sloped toward a drain. Images used with permission of Dr. Erin Doyle, Dr. Jeanette O'Quin, and Dr. Lena DeTar

FIGURE 2 Illustration of a double-sided enclosure with a cat resting on an elevated bed, which is draped with a towel to create a hiding place, and food, water, and toys on one side of the enclosure. The doors of the enclosure include open bars for interaction and ventilation, a partial cage cover for retreat space and interaction choice, scratching material attached to the bars, and quiet latches and hinges. The living side is separated from the bathroom side by an open portal, which facilitates daily care and separation of spaces and remains open except during cleaning. The bathroom side contains a full-size litter box that is not covered by a shelf. Images used with permission of Dr. Erin Doyle, Dr. Jeanette O'Quin, and Dr. Lena DeTar

Stress & Upper Respiratory Illness in Cats

Stress is the primary risk factor for recrudescence of feline herpesvirus and associated clinical signs (eg, sneezing, nasal and ocular discharge, conjunctivitis, fever, anorexia, lethargy).⁵ More than 90% of cats are estimated to be seropositive for herpesvirus, with ≥80% of infected cats developing latent infections, and ≈45% of latently infected cats shedding the virus throughout their life.⁶ Cats are thus particularly at risk for infection during or after a stressful event (eg, visit to a boarding facility, transport, housing change, daily kennel cleaning, lactation).⁴ In addition, housing selection, daily handling, and care techniques have been correlated with risk for development of upper respiratory infection in cats.⁷ Movement of cats in and out of cages for daily cleaning (often necessary for safety when cats are housed in small, single-compartment cages) is associated with increased risk for infection.⁷ Short periods of gentle stroking and vocal interaction daily may decrease risk for development of upper respiratory infection.⁸ Anxiolytic medication is often prescribed to alleviate impacts of stress and should be considered for patients in clinic boarding facilities.

2. Spot Cleaning for Feline Daily Care

Daily disinfection of housing areas can remove a cat’s scent from surfaces and bedding, possibly resulting in stress; therefore, daily spot cleaning should be performed and disinfectants limited when the cat will remain in the same enclosure.¹ Spot cleaning also conserves staff time and minimizes patient stress related to handling. Only food, water, and litter boxes should be replaced during cleaning; bedding, toys, and scratching surfaces should remain in place. If surfaces must be wiped clean, a wet rag or single-use towel should be used. Once the cat leaves the boarding facility, bedding should be removed and laundered and surfaces sanitized with a disinfectant (eg, accelerated hydrogen peroxide, potassium peroxymonosulfate) effective against nonenveloped pathogens and dermatophytes at the appropriate concentration and contact time.

3. Providing Enrichment & Hiding Places

Enrichment programs are important for social interaction, mental stimulation, and exercise. Scratching posts, elevated perches, and hiding places can be provided for cats, and chew toys can be provided for dogs. Hiding places provide cats with a sense of safety and control over whether they are seen, which can reduce stress, especially in the initial few days of entering a new kennel environment.^9-11 Cardboard boxes, carriers, or commercially available feral cat dens can be used. Alternatively, perches or kennel doors can be partially covered by towels. Some fearful cats without a hiding place attempt to hide in the litter box, which could negatively impact welfare.  

For dogs, a covered crate within the enclosure or a visual barrier over part of the kennel front should be provided.

4. Ensuring Timely Vaccinations & Parasite Control

Dogs entering a kennel environment should receive an injectable vaccine for canine distemper virus, parvovirus, canine adenovirus type 2 (ie, hepatitis virus), parainfluenza (the modified live multivalent vaccine is recommended in the shelter setting), and an intranasal or oral vaccine for Bordetella spp and parainfluenza with or without adenovirus.^1,12 Vaccination for leptospirosis and bivalent canine influenza is also recommended.^12,13 Updated ACVIM guidelines recommend boarding and daycare facilities require vaccination for leptospirosis in dogs because the disease is zoonotic; can be severe or fatal despite treatment; can occur regardless of animal age, geography, or lifestyle; and can cause outbreaks in facilities.¹³

The initial vaccination series for canine influenza should be started 4 weeks before a dog enters the boarding facility, providing a 2-week break between initial vaccines as well as 2 weeks for development of a humoral immune response. Cats entering a kennel environment should receive an injectable modified live feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia vaccine.^1,14 Dogs and cats should receive a rabies vaccine according to local regulations.^1,12,14

Broad-spectrum parasite control can protect animals entering a boarding facility, as well as other animals and humans in the facility.^1,15 A parasite prevention and control program should be instituted according to the prevalence of parasites in the geographic region. Many safe options that protect against fleas, ticks, lice, mites, intestinal nematodes, and heartworms are available.¹⁶

Vaccinations and parasite control should be administered at least one week before the animal enters a boarding facility (unless otherwise specified) to allow adequate time to develop protection and treat existing parasites before population exposure occurs.

5. Understanding Humane Capacity for Care

All facilities have limitations for providing care, including financial and physical resources, staff time and skill, and space for housing and exercise. These limitations define the number and type of animals for which a facility can provide humane care (ie, capacity for care). Staff time should focus on essential care tasks (eg, cleaning and disinfecting the environment, feeding, providing enrichment). Direct observation can help calculate average time per task and guide staff schedules.¹ In shelters, up to 15 minutes per animal per day may be needed for cleaning and feeding; however, this does not account for housing designs and sanitation protocols, staff training, or provision of enrichment and additional medical care.

Conclusion

Cats and dogs can experience stress when entering a boarding facility or shelter due to lack of control over the environment, limited access to resources, and separation from family members or familiar environments, possibly resulting in subsequent disease and reduced welfare. Disruption of the daily routine, unpleasant smells, loud noises, and inability to maintain normal sleep/wake cycles and elimination routines can also cause stress. Once adequate staffing and preventive care protocols have been ensured, clinic boarding facilities can reduce stress by providing more environmental control via spacious high-quality multicompartment housing, hiding places, and spot cleaning protocols (cats).