The holiday vacation is over, and the Kasey Program is back in schools. While it was fun to have some downtime, I really missed the kids!
I noticed a lot of sniffling, a touch of sneezing, and a huge amount of coughing this week in the schools we visited. It reminded me of some important illness prevention tips I have heard my human talk about.
It also reminded me of my annual visit to my doctor. He is a super nice guy! He gives me the once over, looking in my ears and mouth, checking my paws and my belly, and always finishing with a nice pat on the head. He gives me a shot every year for rabies, the flu, and kennel cough. I never go to a kennel, but my human learned the hard way that kennel cough is transmitted, like the common cold, through airborne droplets.
I once got kennel cough. My cough was continuous and sounded like a goose honking - it was a terrible week. And so now, I am vaccinated against kennel cough! Nobody in our house wants a repeat of a dog that sounds like a honking goose.
I see humans using their hands and the crook of their elbow to catch their coughs and sneezes. This is a great idea. But the best idea is regular hand washing, avoid touching your face, and stay home if you are sick!
I get a bath every month, but once-daily my human wipes my paws, face, and my coat (that’s what a dog’s hair is called, a coat) with a coconut wipe. This makes me clean, but also shiny and makes me smell nice! My human often says, “No one likes a stinky dog.”
I hope you stay well and don’t experience any “honking goose” coughs this winter. Remember, wash your hands!
