Edmundston closes dog parks after outbreak of unknown illness

The City of Edmundston has temporarily closed its dog parks because of an outbreak of a serious but unidentified illness.

The decision was based on the advice of local veterinarians, the city said in a post on social media.

Several dogs with similar symptoms have recently been taken to the local clinic, said the city.

"As this could be a highly contagious virus, gatherings of dogs should be avoided," it said.

What has staff at the Madawaska Veterinary Hospital concerned are the severity and quantity of cases, director Cédric Laplante said in an emailed response to questions from CBC.

"We've sounded the alarm before the situation gets out of control," he said.

The milder symptoms are cold-like, such as congestion, nasal discharge and coughing, but a number of dogs are coughing to the point they almost vomit, have difficulty breathing and experience dehydration and fever, Laplante said.

"Symptoms often start mildly, and can worsen day by day," he said.

He urged dog owners to make an appointment with their vet if a pet is showing symptoms.

The treatments being used at the veterinary hospital seem to be working well, said Laplante.

Most of the cases have been in medium-size and large dogs, he said.

Dogs that have and have not been vaccinated against kennel cough, or bordetella, have gotten sick, he added, but unvaccinated dogs seem to be more vulnerable.

Samples have been sent to an independent laboratory for identification, said Laplante.

Meanwhile, he advised dog owners in the Edmundston area to avoid gatherings and pet daycare as much as possible for a few weeks, to use a leash for walks and to pick up their pet's droppings.

The local animal shelter, Refuge Madawaska Shelter Inc., said in an email Tuesday that so far it had not been affected.

"We only take à few dogs at a time and they are quarantined when they arrive to make sure they don't spread anything to others," said Ginette Dumont.

"But we are keeping an eye on the situation to make sure the dogs we have stay safe and in health."

Dumont added that she hopes they'll find the source of the problem soon and the parks will reopen.

The city said it expects the closures, in both Edmundston Centre and St-Jacques, to last about two weeks.

"We apologise for any inconvenience," it said, "but we want to ensure the safety of our furry friends."