Effective infection control and managing a clean kennel for each and every patient is of the utmost importance and choosing the correct bedding plays an important role in achieving this.
Simple Steps to Effectively Manage a Patient Kennel
Given ideal conditions, bacteria can grow on a surface (within a small animal environment) in as little as 20 minutes (NCBI, 2010) (Journal of Hospital Infection, 2024). Bacterial growth has implications for both patients and staff, including the spread of infectious diseases amongst patients, surgical wound infections and the potential for zoonotic diseases between staff and patients.
Key steps to maintaining an ideal kennel environment:
1. Minimise the number of fomites (inanimate objects) in the kennel
Although it is lovely to provide patients with toys, extra bedding, like blankets and layered fleece vet beds, to ensure comfort, these can harbour bacteria if not regularly washed - at least daily.
For long stay patients, enrichment can be added, but should be kept to a minimum and soft toys should be washed at 90 degrees C. Any toys should be exclusive to that patient and either be sent home with them or binned once the patient has been discharged.
An ideal kennel, for infection control purposes, would consist of a water bowl, a food bowl which is removed once the patient has finished eating and easy-to-clean bedding and nothing more.
2. Select bedding that supports infection control
There is a wide range of bedding available, but not all options are suitable for a veterinary environment. It’s important to choose bedding that supports infection control, patient comfort, and practical functionality.
Veterinary fleece is probably the most widely used due to its one-way absorption characteristic. This prevents urine and faecal scalds if a patient has an accident or is incontinent. It’s also easy to wash between patients and it dries rapidly. Vet fleece should be changed daily for inpatients of more than 24 hours as its fluffy surface is ideal for bacterial growth.
Aspects of bedding that need to be taken into account when making a purchasing decision, include:
- How will the bedding be washed?
- Is the cover waterproof?
- How effective is washing going to be to combat bacteria and pathogens?
- How quickly can a bed be ready for use by the next patient?
- How much nursing time will be involved in managing the kennel bedding?
- Will the bed suit older and recumbent patients or those with orthopaedic or neurological conditions?
With a focus on infection control, key elements to look for are:
Easy-to-clean covers
- Bedding with cloth surfaces is not easy to fully disinfect.
- Bedding that requires washing at 90 degrees uses a lot of electricity and water, which impacts on practice sustainability goals.
- Covers that are sewn together are compromised because moisture moves into the cushion by wicking along the thread.
- Zips in covers provide a pathway for moisture into the cushion, while the zip itself harbours dirt and bacteria which are difficult to effectively remove.
Waterproof bedding
- Waterproof covers will prevent liquids entering the cushion.
- Waterproof covers are generally easier to clean quickly and effectively.
- If moisture enters the cushion, it will carry dirt and bacteria with it, compromising the bed regardless of whether the cover is washed.
Resistant to medical grade disinfectant
- To optimise infection control, all surfaces need to tolerate disinfection.
- Wipe clean surfaces will save time, energy and water.
- Repeated disinfection degrades many surfaces, so tolerance will prolong the useful life of a bed.
Made of tough material
- Nothing is chew-proof, but some fabrics are more resistant than others.
- Corners of kennel beds readily wear if the fabric is not robust, leading to moisture entering the cushion.
- Ideally, the cover should be repairable.
Provides comfort to patients
- Consider what is typical of your patient population. For those patients that are elderly, recumbent and/or have special orthopaedic requirements, a foam filled kennel mattress would be recommended.
- Duration of stay and size of dog – a heavy dog needs more support than a small dog and long-stay patients should be on supportive beds, not a thin layer of fabric.
So we have set out a lot of things to think about when considering what beds will be appropriate for your clinical environment. Not all relate specifically to infection control, but hopefully you will find this practical help when you are considering your purchasing choices.
What we have designed here at BDBCo.VET may not suit every circumstance, but we certainly achieve all five points mentioned above. For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.