Courtesy of BC SPCA

By Amandalina Letterio

KENNEL COUGH

BC SPCA: Kamloops is ‘most affected area’ for kennel cough outbreak

Aug 6, 2021 | 4:47 PM

KAMLOOPS — The BC SPCA is warning the public about an ‘unusual outbreak of kennel cough in dogs across the province — and says Kamloops is the most affected area.

“We are hearing of cases in the community and we have seen an outbreak in our animal shelter there,” senior manager of animal health, Dr. Emilia Gordon, told CFJC News.

Since the first week of July, 24 dogs have tested positive for kennel cough at the BC SPCA Kamloops location — Gordon said it’s unusual to see the virus during the summer months.

“We spoke with community veterinarians this week, about 90% of them reported also seeing an increase in cases,” she explained.

Kennel cough can be caused by a number of different viruses and bacteria. In an outbreak scenario, the BC SPCA tries to learn the cause of the spread to find a way to reduce the risk to that cause.

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Recent tests for common viruses and bacteria have come back negative, so the organization is pursuing more advanced testing.

“We believe the cause may be a virus that dogs in Kamloops don’t have immunity to, perhaps because it’s a rare or emerging disease,” Gordon continued.

But Kamloops isn’t alone. Gordon said the BC SPCA is hearing of increased cases across North America.

“As more people resume travel and take their dogs with them, we expect to see more transmission,” she said, adding that spread happens when people move around the province with their dogs.

Shelters are ‘sentinel’ locations for communities where contagious diseases are more likely to spread once introduced.

It is a disease syndrome that is caused by a variety of viruses and bacteria, similar to a human cold.

Kennel cough is highly contagious between dogs, including through the air and through objects. People that touch one dog and then another soon after could spread it too.

Dr. Gordon said dog owners should be vigilant and isolate their dogs immediately if they start coughing or have nasal or eye discharge. Seeking veterinary advice is recommended too.

No dogs have become seriously ill and all affected are recovering, but Dr. Gordon said she is concerned about how aggressively the disease has spread between K9s, even if they weren’t in close contact.

“Most affected dogs were vaccinated, so while we still recommend the vaccine to reduce illness, it appears that we may be dealing with a virus that is not part of the current vaccine,” said Dr. Gordon.

The BC SPCA is actively working with specialists to research the outbreak. To learn more about the outbreak, click here.