Flu Vaccine Accessibility Challenge

Everyone at Holiday Barn Pet Resorts hopes you and your dog had a great summer and are looking forward to a pleasant fall.

We are very appreciative of your respect for our vaccine requirements; we strive to keep as healthy pet environment as we can. We feel fortunate to have so many loyal local customers, as well as customers from many other states and countries. With that said, we need to remain vigilant on our requirements, even when vaccine shortfalls occur.

Like many things post pandemic, vaccine manufacturers are challenged with supply chain shortages which are causing limited access or gaps in their ability to supply necessary pet vaccines.

We have learned that the combination flu vaccine that Merck provides will not be available again until early 2023. Zoetis supplies have run short but will be back to a normal supply offer by mid-October this year.

In the absence of specific vaccine, like the Flu combination vaccine there are alternatives:

• If the Merck product is not available, find out how to access the Zoetis product.
• You may be able to get the vaccines independently – one vaccine for each strain.
• If there is only one variety of the flu vaccine available, either H3N2 or H3N8, please vaccinate with what is available. One is better than nothing.
• Be cautious in what you let your dog experience. Unfortunately, dog parks and other doggie gathering spaces have become incubators for many dog illnesses. We understand and appreciate the desire for your dog to have a fun lifestyle, but please understand it should also be a healthy choice. As you know, we screen all dogs that visit our business for obvious signs like sneezing, coughing, nasal discharge, etc. in order to keep pet illnesses from spreading and we keep our population up-to-date on required vaccinations. That kind of screening and vaccination requirement should be taking place in all dog social environments. If it is not, do not risk your dog’s health just for a fun experience. Instead of the dog park or something similar, one-on-one time with your dog is a great way to hone obedience, practice tricks, or just simply enjoy how special they make our lives.
• Your vet may be able to “titer” your dog to see if the vaccine it received is still at an effective level.
• There has been a very large outbreak of canine influenza in the southeast; we have been informed of over 230 confirmed cases. The dog flu is still active, and it spreads easily.

Thank you again for trusting your dog with us and respecting what we need to do to keep a healthy, fun place for your dog to enjoy.

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