I know it may sound odd but does anyone do anything to sterilize their bumpers? I wash them under clean hot tap water after use. I wouldn't think anything else is nessecary but thought I might as well ask. Thanks, Jim
Probably a good idea, but I hate to admit I go years between cleaning my bumpers, and then only when they are so dirty they are hard for the dog to see.
I was gonna ask about a dilution of bleach, but I was just worried it would get the dog sick. I am one of those people who worry about the small details, and usually the worries are over thought. I was thinking about this and thought maybe it was something everyone did and I just wasn't aware of. I was mainly worried if I did not disinfect them my pup might get sick? Thanks for the replys, I think they will get cleaned tommorow.
I've been wondering lately about the potential for disease spread through shared bumpers and birds.
It seems to me that one sick dog slobbering on a bird at a test or trial has the potential to infect a lot of dogs.
Sick dog slobbers on his flyer, flyer gets stuffed into a bag of birds that are reused over and over again, germy slobber distributed among many a bird retrieved by many a dog...
Hmmmm.
What say you, EdA, and other vets? I looked but could find nothing about fomites spreading disease such as Bordatella.
I've been wondering lately about the potential for disease spread through shared bumpers and birds.
It seems to me that one sick dog slobbering on a bird at a test or trial has the potential to infect a lot of dogs.
Sick dog slobbers on his flyer, flyer gets stuffed into a bag of birds that are reused over and over again, germy slobber distributed among many a bird retrieved by many a dog...
Hmmmm.
What say you, EdA, and other vets? I looked but could find nothing about fomites spreading disease such as Bordatella.
I'm not a vet. I did however spend a night at a Holiday Inn Express. Do not ever take a portable battery operated black light to your motel room!!!
I had to google fomites. They were everywhere.
Every couple of years I take all bumpers and stack them loosley in milk crates and run them thru the sanitize cycle of the commercial dishwasher at the local steak house in the afternoon while the kitchen staff is on break.
Note; does not work well with frozen birds. JD
PS The patrons of said steak house seem mostly unaffected....
Ok, my dogs have their nose up other dogs butts, fetch two day old birds at hunt tests after baking in the sun and soking in a pond, and drink swamp water like its fine wine .... My bumpers have never been washed and unless they some how end up bouncing in toxic waste may never get washed.
FYI Salmon Poisoning not Salmonella. Not from rotten fish. Is from salmonids in the Pac NW in their blood. Bacteria from a parasite. Several varieties.
Well long story short I thought of this because the pup had diarrhea yesterday morning, so I called the vet to see if we should bring her in and have her checked out. The vet said not to worry just yet and to make sure she had plenty of water so she did not dehydrate and wait a day or two and see how she was. She seems to have gotten back to normal stool wise. I was just thinking, maybe it would be a good idea so if there was germs on them that she wouldn't keep getting whatever it was that disturbed her back. Thanks for all the replys, not sure it was nessecary but I went ahead and cleaned them all just to be safe. Now back to her normal schedule of play a few fun bumpers and a little obedience. Thanks, James
When in my training group and we are using real dead birds for the third time, they tin get to be a little ripe, but to the dog they don't care. To answer your question....Why? Humans differ from dogs in a lot of ways. We think in our world to cleanse,but to a dog.......They know when not....
I haven't read the other posts when I posted this. Your dog will tell you and of course you need to reinforce for that moment, but then smile and do what is needed to reassure dog that you care
The bird I always worry about is the pigeon. I go down wind and I get a full whiff. Disease in humans is common in humans from pigeons. Still, dogs seem to do well retrieving pigeons. Thus far, I've not acquired any pigeon disease yet either.
If you want to sanitize your bumpers, use a 1 to 10 Clorox solution. One cc of Clorox to 10 cc of water will kill most anything.
I have never even thought of cleaning my bumpers... often wondered how to get the stick out of older Dokkens, but wasn't too successful at that.
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