KENNEL SANITATION

KENNEL SANITATION
Getting rid of waste from the kennel is usually a dog owner’s nightmare. Before you know it, when the waste management has a lot of flaws , the dog starts to come down with all sorts of skin infections. They look unthrifty, dull, and then of course the entire environment stinks. The stink thus produced could lead to problems with neighbors, and then you could be in a real fix.
Several methods has been used to deal with smells emanating from kennels, inclusive of which, is the application of lime, disinfectant, deodorants, bleach etc. to the floors and walls. However, when we have to tackle kennel sanitation in the long term, proper kennel construction has to be put into perspective right from the start.
Factors taken into consideration when building include:
- The direction of the rain and prevailing winds. This is very important because it could later determine how clean and free from odors your kennel is. It also helps with ensuring proper ventilation .
- The floors and walls should be made with strong concrete which would not be porous (I.e allowing chemicals to seep in), and would also be resistant to alkaline and acidic wear etc. This also prevents wastes from seeping into the ground.
- Getting rid of fluid wastes e.g urine or that derived during cleaning is easier when the kennel is floored with a slant towards the drain.
- The roof should be constructed in such a way as to prevent excessive splashing of water into the kennel during rainfall.
- A raised concrete bed can be constructed on one side of the wall, so that the dog does not have to sleep on it’s feaces, and then it can also stay there when avoiding a wet floor.
- Asides a short concrete wall between pens that acts as a barrier to prevent cross-contamination, the rest of the wall is preferably made of wire netting/ iron mesh and iron bars. This will ensure that adequate ventilation is provided.
Having put all these in place, you have yourself a kennel that is suitable for your dogs.
When cleaning the dog house, it is useful to use disinfectants(some selected ones) and deodorants, but their application should not be excessive and the use has to be controlled. This is because, improper use can endanger the life of the pet when absorbed through the pads of the feet, or inhaled.
Adequate amounts of water should be used to wash the kennels after any form of disinfection, and the water should be applied under pressure. Food and water bowls should be removed before disinfecting the pen, and they should be washed and cleaned before they are returned.
Proper kennel sanitation is important to keep your dogs healthy!