How Do I Wash a Bed Used by a Sick Puppy?

Puppies' undeveloped immune systems make them vulnerable to a wide variety of illnesses in their early weeks. If one of yours gets sick on bedding that's not disposable, you'll have to clean it thoroughly to stop viruses from spreading to other puppies or to keep your puppy from possibly suffering a second bout of illness.

  1. Pre-Cleaning

    • Before washing the bed, remove as much organic matter as possible by shaking the bed or the cover out, spraying it with a hose, or wiping it down with paper towels. Wear latex or plastic gloves if the puppy suffered from an illness that is potentially contagious to humans, such as giardia. Removing the organic matter will make the bed easier to clean but more importantly will allow the disinfectant to be more effective.

    Bleach and Disinfectants

    • The cause of your puppy's illness determines what type of disinfectant is necessary to kill the virus or parasite that was responsible for the problem. Bleach is a good general disinfectant that will kill many viruses, including the resilient parvovirus, when used in the right concentration. Mix 1 part household bleach with 32 parts water to use as a disinfectant on your puppy's bed in spray form, or add at least 1/2 cup to the wash cycle on a washing machine. Potassium peroxymonosulfate is a strong disinfectant capable of killing several viruses, including parvo and distemper, but it is more expensive and difficult to find than bleach. Check with your veterinarian to be sure that the disinfectant you plan to use will be effective against the agent responsible for your puppy's illness.

    Soaking and Standing Time

    • In order for a disinfectant to work properly it must have sufficient contact time with the surface it is supposed to disinfect. This means that a bed laundered in a washing machine should be allowed to soak in the bleach or disinfectant mixture for 20 to 30 minutes before the was cycle begins. Beds sprayed with disinfectant should be coated lightly but thoroughly to cover all the surfaces and then allowed to stand at least 30 minutes before rinsing.

    Heat and Sunlight

    • Heat and direct sunlight won't kill every virus and is not as effective as bleaching, but does work well to eliminate certain bacteria as well as pests such as fleas and ticks that can spread illness. After washing, place the puppy's bed in the dryer on the hottest cycle available. For beds that can't be placed in a dryer, hang or lay them out flat in direct sunlight. Don't leave the bed to dry in a damp or dark area where bacteria can quickly multiply.

    Replacement Padding

    • Depending on illness and bed type, you may have to replace the padding or stuffing. Discard wood chips, for example, and replace them if the puppy had a highly contagious, hard-to-eliminate illness such as parvovirus. Polyester fill stuffing can be disinfected in the washing machine, but may clump and need to be replaced for the puppy's comfort.