Highly infectious virus warning for dog owners
Pet owners are being warned of an infectious virus following a few dogs in Sydney being diagnosed with the illness after visiting local parks.
Sydney’s Inner West Council said they have received a “few” reports of dogs being diagnosed with Canine Cough after visiting a parks in the area.
Canine Cough is sometimes referred to as ‘Kennel Cough’, and it is an infectious disease which affects a dog’s respiratory system.
“This condition is the result of several highly infectious diseases which can be easily spread wherever dogs congregate and socialise such as dog shows, boarding kennels, and obedience classes,” Greencross Vets says on their website.
“Canine cough may persist for several weeks and has the potential to progress into a more serious and life-threatening infection if pneumonia and chronic bronchitis develop.”
The Inner West Council is urging dog owners to not exercise their dogs, socialise them or let them share water bowls if they are showing symptoms.
“If your dog is showing symptoms of Canine Cough, please do not exercise them around other dogs or allow them to share toys or water bowls,” the council said on Facebook.
Greencross Vets warn dogs will generally start to develop a dry, repetitive cough three to ten days after exposure.
However there are a few symptoms owners should be aware of:
dry, hacking cough
gagging or vomiting after excitement or ingestion of food
eye and nasal discharge
sneezing and snorting
fever and lethargy
“The coughing can be made worse by exercise and some dogs may stop eating or become depressed and lethargic,” Inner West Council warned on Facebook.
However, dogs can be protected against Canine Cough with vaccinations.
It is recommended dogs get their bordetella bronchiseptica vaccine annually to prevent the disease.
“Once a puppy has their initial course of vaccinations, kennel cough resistance can be boosted annually by either the intranasal vaccine or an injectable dose. This is normally combined with distemper, hepatitis, and parvovirus vaccinations,” Greencross Vets says.
Some dogs are more prone to kennel cough than others, mainly puppies, elderly dogs and those with existing medical conditions according to Blue Cross for Pets.
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