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While cough and cold season arrives for us humans, we may not even think about man’s best friend.
There are rumours floating around on social media that the Arnprior Dog Park may be the site where kennel cough is spreading.
We reached out to the town for comment, however they have not been able to verify the accuracy or validity of any reports based on online information only. Mackenzie Rooney, Practice Manager at the Arnprior Animal Hospital says your pet can contract a number of illnesses from the dog park.
Whether this is happening or not, it’s always best practice to vaccinate your dog to help prevent the spread and reduce the impact if they happen to contract it.
The Bordetella and DA2PP vaccines can significantly reduce the risk to your pets. DA2PP protects against distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus and parainfluenza. Bordetella is specifically administered to prevent kennel cough. While vaccines are very effective, it’s always good to remember that they do not protect against the disease 100% and your dog can still contract kennel cough. If you know another dog has kennel cough, you may want to keep your dog away from them until they have fully recovered.
Kennel cough, also known as, canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRC), canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) or canine infectious tracheobronchitis (CIT), can spread quickly when dogs are in close quarters, like kennels, dog parks, or doggie daycares. According to Rooney, one of the most common symptoms is a goose like cough.
It can take up to 7 days for symptoms to appear and can take 3-10 days for your dog to recover. Symptoms of kennel cough may include:
- A honking/persistent cough
- Retching/gagging
- Watery eyes/runny nose
- Sneezing
- Lethargy/low energy
Your dog may also experience vomiting, but it’s not as common. As Rooney says, if your dog is exhibiting any of these symptoms, keep your pets home and speak with your vet about the best route of treatment and prevention.
Focusing on the Arnprior Dog Park, Rooney says her practice hasn’t seen any increase in kennel cough cases this season.
(Written by: Bob Kubbinga)
