'Unusual strain' of kennel cough reported in dogs in B.C., SPCA warns
SPCA asking owners to isolate dogs immediately if showing signs of cough or runny nose or eyes
Dog owners are being warned to watch for signs of kennel cough in their pets, after the B.C. SPCA reported two dozen cases of an "unusual strain" of canine infectious tracheobronchitis.
On Thursday, the animal welfare agency issued a warning to pet owners after cases, which first started showing up at its facilities in July, grew to a total of 24, with more being reported in the wider community, especially in the Kamloops, B.C., area.
A senior doctor with the SPCA said though none of the dogs have become seriously ill and all are recovering, there is still a need to take immediate precautions by isolating your dog if it is coughing or begins to have a runny nose or eyes.
"The concerning aspect of these cases is how aggressively the disease has spread between dogs, even if they weren't in close contact," ," said Dr. Emilia Gordon, the senior manager of animal health.
She also said cases were showing up among dogs that had already been vaccinated for the kennel cough virus.
According to Gordon, all of the sick dogs were immediately isolated, but because tests for known viruses and bacteria came back negative, specialists now believe the cause could be a virus that isn't detected by commercially available tests.
The SPCA is still recommending dog owners get their pets vaccinated to reduce illness, and to isolate them immediately if they begin to show signs of the illness.
In the meantime, the SPCA said it is collecting samples as part of its investigation and is teaming up with specialists and diagnostic laboratories to pursue the cause of the outbreak.