Pet clinics seeing an outbreak of kennel cough cases in Halifax

Vets from North End Animal Hospital and Eastern Passage Village Veterinarian Hospital warn dog owners to act quickly to gain control of the respiratory disease’s spread

CITYnews\ Steve Gow

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Dog owners are being asked to act vigilantly as the number of cases of kennel cough are swiftly on the rise across Halifax Regional Municipality.

“Normally we don’t see any kennel cough and now we’re seeing at least one case a day, and weekly, probably around ten,” says Dr. Katie O’Hanley from the North End Animal Hospital. “(And) we don’t see kennel cough on a day-to-day basis until there’s an outbreak of it in a population.”

A broad term that covers several infectious or contagious disorders in dogs, kennel cough is often referred to as infectious tracheobronchitis and it is marked primarily by an unusual coughing or hacking in pets.

“Some dogs will cough so bad that it will keep them up at night. Usually, that’s the only symptom and dogs will otherwise be totally fine — will continue to eat, drink, be energetic as normal,” adds O’Hanley. “You start to get concerned if they are not eating or if they are lethargic and sometimes they’ll get a fever.”

Cases have been on the rise all across HRM with animal clinics reporting a surge in calls about possible infections as well as a boost in confirmed cases.

“During the pandemic a lot more people got dogs,” says Eastern Passage Village Veterinarian Hospital manager Diane Breton about a suspected cause of the outbreak. “And kids are back in school so (dogs) are potentially in kennels or boarding facilities, or just socializing more than they were in the past couple of years.”

While kennel cough can develop at any time of year, the recent surge in HRM is certainly unusual and veterinarians are warning that the outbreak may stick around for awhile. Symptoms develop over the course of a week but dogs can remain contagious for up to two weeks after symptoms are resolved.

“It really depends on how many people are taking precautions with their own dogs,” adds O’Hanley about the potential length of the outbreak. “If people start hearing about this outbreak and start being more cautious and say ,I’m going to start taking a break from the dog park, or daycare, or boarding kennels for two or three weeks, maybe even a month because I want to protect my own dog,’ then they are also doing their part to protect the population and get the disease under control.”

Vets recommend dog owners avoid dog parks or other areas where pets are free to come into contact with others that may be carrying the contagion. As well, dogs should avoid sharing water bowls, toys or any items that may carry the infection.

“It is impossible to know if a dog is contagious just by a brief interaction with them,” adds O’Hanley. “So if you want to be cautious, keep your dog on a leash, give everybody a wide berth and follow the COVID protocols — six feet apart.”

Breton also recommends dog owners have their pets vaccinated for kennel cough.

While the available vaccine is not a guaranteed prevention method (since there are several variants of bacterial infection that fall under the term kennel cough), it does add a layer of protection for pets against the more severe signs of Bordetella bronchiseptica.

“It’s kind of like the human flu vaccine — there are different strains and variants so it can help prevent getting kennel cough but it doesn’t mean that they’re never going to get kennel cough,” says Breton, adding that kennel cough can lead to pneumonia, “which can ultimately lead to death if it become septic and goes through their system.”

Cough suppressants and anti-inflammatory medications may provide relief in extreme cases but vets say there is no specific treatment if a pet does contract it.

O’Hanley notes it is currently difficult to get bookings at most animal clinics but if owners are concerned about their dog’s health or they are showing symptoms of lethargy or difficulty breathing, they should not hesitate to contact their local vet.

“We have been fully booked every day,” says O’Hanley about the North End Animal Hospital, which opened its doors on Isleville Street in September. She suggests that COVID-19 has played a role not only in the recent demand for appointments but possibly assisted in the quick spread of kennel cough across HRM.

“Some of that is because so many people have gotten new pets,” says O’Hanley, adding more time spent outdoors and at parks has also contributed to more pets requiring veterinarian assistance. “Another reason is because we are spending more time with our pets, we are noticing more problems with them in the home.”