Isolation Protocol

This document contains the protocol for when, why and how to isolate animals while they are in the Parvo ICU due to illnesses other than Parvo.

Common Causes

Many Parvo puppies come to us with other illnesses or conditions in addition to Parvo that are contagious to other dogs. These include:

• Distemper

• Upper Respiratory Infections (URIs)

• Sarcoptic Mange (Sarcops or Scabies)*

• Ringworm*

• Intestinal Parasites*

*contagious to humans

Demodectic mange is genetically predisposed and correlated with immune suppression. It is not contagious to other dogs or humans.

Isolation Guidelines

Remember that anything that goes into a cage with a contagious dog should be considered contaminated. This includes skin before washed, scrubs, shoes, pens, charts, syringes, food bowls, everything. If a contaminated pen is set on the counter, the counter is also contaminated.

When treating a patient with any of these conditions: 

• Treat contagious dogs last. 

• Gather ALL equipment needed before touching patient/entering patient room - food, fluid bags, needles, water bowls, pen, flush, alcohol swabs, drawn up meds, force feeding syringes, blankets/towels

• Wash hands thoroughly after treating patient and before touching any equipment, door knobs, bowls, counter, etc.

• Mark the kennel and medical chart with appropriate contagious disease cage signs.

• Throw away oral syringes (1 or 3cc); Rinse 60cc syringes and spray with disinfectant. Rinse after 10 minutes.

• Clean food/water bowls immediately and spray with disinfectant. Rinse after 10 minute contact time.

• Scrubs should go in dirty clothes.

• Generally, wear a smock to cover your scrubs, and gloves to cover your hands.

Protocols specific to diseases:

URI

• Cover cage door with towel or blanket to prevent airborne spread from sneezing, coughing

• Move patient to kennel far away from other patients (i.e. corner of the cage bank)

• Ideally, wear a smock

Distemper

Distemper is the most serious infectious disease a puppy can get. All isolation protocols for Distemper must be taken very seriously.

• Move patient as far away from other patients as possible and in stainless steel cage if possible.

• Do not treat any other patients. Do not touch other equipment or clean after treatment. Wash hands well and leave immediately.

• Spray scrubs with disinfectant and put in laundry to be washed. Keep dirty laundry separate. 

• Throw away ALL syringes used

• Wear a smock

Sarcoptic Mange or Ringworm

• wear gloves to protect yourself, and a smock