Is your dog 'honking'? Owners urged to look for signs of kennel cough as Halifax cases jump

Dog owners in the Halifax region are being alerted to a rising number of cases of kennel cough, a respiratory disease easily spread among canines.

While the illness shows up every year, veterinarians in the area are reporting a noticeable jump in infections over the past month.

"In this practice we're seeing it at least once a day," said Dr. Jeff Goodall, a veterinarian who runs the Sunnyview Animal Care Centre in Bedford.

"That's really unusually increased. [Typically] we might see a case every month, maybe every two months."

The Metro Animal Emergency Clinic in Dartmouth is also experiencing a high number of calls regarding kennel cough and has posted a notice on social media to advise the infection is "spreading rapidly throughout HRM."

Goodall said it is unclear what's causing the rise in cases, but he expects it could be late December before infections begin to peter out.

While normally a mild disease, Goodall said dogs can remain infectious for as long as three months, which is why it's important to recognize the symptoms in the early stages.

'Honking' sound a sign of kennel cough

"Initially it might just be a mild cough or a sneeze, but if it progresses to the dog coughing so hard that they bring up phlegm, that's the severity that we want to see the dog before it gets to that point if possible," he said.  

The cough is quite distinctive, he explained, because of what he describes as a "honking" sound.

While most dogs will get better without any treatment, cough suppressants may be needed as well as antibiotics.

Goodall recommends owners who notice any signs of the disease in their dogs to have their pets examined as kennel cough can lead to pneumonia.

A number of dog daycares around the region are trying to get the word out for owners to keep their pets at home if they're showing any symptoms, given how contagious kennel cough is and how quickly it can spread when dogs are in close contact.

"We are really trying to lock down on any spread," said Melissa Sutherland, the owner and operator of Paw Prints Doggy Daycare and Grooming in Bedford.

"I think this is the worst we've ever seen."

Dogs with symptoms should avoid public spaces

Sutherland's daycare usually looks after between 25 and 40 dogs, but her numbers are down with around 20 animals currently staying home sick.

Her staff are now constantly disinfecting the facility, paying special attention to things like dog bowls.

She's asking clients whose dogs have been sick to keep their pets at home for a week or two after symptoms have subsided, as well as keeping them away from public places — especially dog parks.

Sutherland's business requires all dogs be vaccinated against kennel cough, but that is no guarantee they'll be protected.

Goodall said a number of dogs are being diagnosed in spite of being immunized.

"We have seen some dogs, probably one a week that have been vaccinated, who need some sort of therapy or treatment so the vaccine isn't as bulletproof as we would hope," he said.