sick at the shelter

If I had a geriatric dog at home I would not bring home a sick dog...IMO that's a risky deal. I guess the vet will likely fix her, because if it's policy she cannot go out unfixed I suppose it needs to be done, but really I would not do an op on an obviously sick dog.

Even handling her might have brought home something tho...so it might be a moot point! Hope all stay well at your house...and she recovers fully.

When a dog comes in from our local shelter that is obviously sick, we will not spay/neuter the dog at that time.  We will either keep it (just board the dog in isolation & treat until it is over whatever it has) or send the dog home with medication and tell them to come back for a recheck in X days to see when we can spay/neuter.  Because of the shelter's policy, we will call and notify them of what is going on, and they usually have no problem with it. 

 As far as bringing home a sick dog, why not board the dog at your vet until she is well again and spayed?  I know most vets offer that, but if not you may be able to search around to find an actual boarding place that might take that on (many of them will not, however).  The kennel cough is pretty easily treated and they get over it quickly.  The blood in the stool is probably due to worms, but I wouldn't take it lightly, either.  Bloody stool is also a sign of parvo, so I'd probably test her for that as a precaution.  If she isn't acting lethargic and is still eating and drinking she is probably fine, but it's still good to make sure. 

 What is your shelter's policy on vaccinating/deworming their animals?  Ours is very small and underfunded, so they try to vaccinate and deworm puppies first, then do as many adult dogs as they can (which sometimes isn't very many).  They also euthanize any dogs with signs of parvo, simply because they don't have the funding to treat them, nor the room to keep them in quarantine.

I hope some of that may have helped...Good luck!  :)

rwbeagles

Even handling her might have brought home something tho...so it might be a moot point!

When we came home shoe bottoms were bleached and tops sprayed with lysol and left in the garage.All of us scrubed with anti-bacterial soap and all clothes went in the washer.This is what goes on here after every trip to the shelter.

Several years ago they used to post on the entrance to the dog area of the shelter when there was a kennel-cough outbreak as well as a tray of disinfectant on the floor for shoes.They are under different management nowThey are very overwhelmed at this shelter.I don't know if it's the economy or that they are bringing dogs in from other areas.I'm inclined to think the latter as one day there will be entire empty rows and a few days later there are 2 dogs per cage,many of them small breeds that appear to be purebreds.

I've never had a dog of mine get sick other than old age issues so I don't know how "bad" kennel cough is.The shelter staff member I spoke to seemed unconcerned and likened it to the flu or a bad cold.

Tena

Workingdoglover

As far as bringing home a sick dog, why not board the dog at your vet until she is well again and spayed? 

I thought of this but I read info on a website that says even after symptoms are gone they can shed the virus for3 or 4 months.I couldn't see boarding her that long.She was VERY energetic when we took her into the outdoor run.She coughed up a puddle of phlem after running around like a nut for five minutes.Then she had one normal poop followed by some redish brown squirts.

Tena

Bordatella is pretty much like doggie bronchitis.  But the bordatella shot or intranasal -- they are pretty much like flu shots.  That means - did you ever take a flu shot and get sick?  Of course.  It all depends on what 'strain' of kennel cough is going around vs. what is in the vaccine (and usually those are pretty outdated -- it's the nature of the thing).

They should not place a sick dog -- and yes, it's true that they will shed the disease in their *** for a long while - couple of months. 

DO NOT under any circumstances take a dog from this place without a fecal BEFORE you bring the dog home and let it poop in your yard.  It is just plain something you need to do ANYWAY (from anywhere) -- particularly with a geriatric animal at home you don't need to be bringing hook or whipworm in and you can't know that without a fecal.  Don't have them just tell you "oh, she's ok".  GET THE FECAL

 -- I lost a geriatric dog this way once.  We took a visiting foster for 4 days during a hurricane -- and the gal I worked with said he was "clean".  it was a load of b.s. and Mike paid for it with his life.  Because he was geriatric those things tore thru him.  The other two had them as well but weren't compromised like Mike was.

Thanks everyone for the replies.At this particular shelter I would have to adopt her first[fee is $225]. Then she gets transported to the vet by them for a full exam,fecal included and is spayed that day.If she has a problem it is now my problem,not the shelters.They do not take her back unless I surrender her back and loose my $225. and possibly the oportunity to adopt from them again.I think under the circumstances We will not adopt her.I am worried for all the dogs there now.Jewel is my first priority so I have to wait.

Tena