By Erica Thomas, managing editor
TRUSSVILLE — A local dog boarding facility is sounding the alarm about a possible outbreak of kennel cough among dogs in the Trussville area.
The Dog Stop sent an email to clients about the possible outbreak.
“Please, if your dog is showing any symptoms, keep them home and contact your vet,” the email stated. “We hope everyone stays well.”
Although there is a vaccine for kennel cough, often called Bordetella, there are some strands of bacteria that can cause the illness that are not included in that vaccine.
Virologist and vaccination expert Dr. Constantinos S. Kyriakis, at Auburn University, said if dogs have been exposed to kennel cough, it is important to quarantine them for two weeks.
“Animals that have been sick should be kept separately from other animals,” said Kyriakis. “You’ve heard of a ton of people who are asymptomatic with the COVID, right? Well, it’s the same here. I mean, a dog could be carrying one of the pathogens involved in kennel cough and be absolutely fine and then an older dog who might be high-risk could get really sick.”
Kyriakis said the most important thing for dog owners to do is to keep their pets vaccinated. There are also individual variations experienced with the vaccination. He said the Bordetella vaccine is not 100% effective.
If a dog has been exposed to kennel cough by being in a facility during or after an outbreak, it needs to be thoroughly cleaned. He said people who were inside the facility also need to take precautions.
“Also, people going in and out of a facility where there has been an outbreak should be extra careful and clean their clothes before being around a dog and take those kinds of measures,” he explained.
Pet owners should contact their veterinarian with any questions about possible exposure. If a dog has been exposed, Kyriakis suggests staying away from dog parks or other facilities for pets.
Symptoms of kennel cough include hacking or coughing, sneezing, runny nose and eye discharge. Some dogs also experience loss of appetite and decreased energy.
Other than Bordetella bronchiseptica, other viruses that can make dogs more susceptible to contracting kennel cough include canine reovirus, canine distemper, canine herpes, parainfluenza and canine adenovirus.
Kennel cough is treatable and it takes up to 14 days for dogs to recover with prescribed medications. The illness can be fatal in severe cases, so it is important to contact your veterinarian as soon as symptoms are observed.
It is important to note that out of five local veterinarian clinic, only one has reported an uptick in kennel cough cases, although they said the increase has not been substantial. Little Cahaba Animal Hospital said the increased numbers are nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year. Grayson Valley Animal Clinic and Deerfoot Animal Clinic have not seen an increase in cases. Main Street Animal Clinic and Trussville Animal Hospital declined to comment on specific cases seen in their clinics.