The BC SPCA is warning dog owners about what appears to be an unusual strain of kennel cough showing up in many dogs in the province, especially in the Kamloops region.
Dr. Emilia Gordon, senior manager of animal health for the BC SPCA said they first started seeing cases in July and despite immediately testing the dogs who were showing symptoms, the tests kept coming back negative.
“After consulting with specialists, we believe the cause could be a virus that isn’t detected by commercially available tests,” Gordon added in a release. She said the BC SPCA has seen 24 cases in its facilities, with more reports coming in.
“Because the causative agent is unknown we want to make sure that people are vigilant in isolating their dogs immediately if they start coughing,” Gordon said. She notes that in addition to coughing, a small percentage of the infected dogs had eye or nasal discharge.
“None of the dogs have become seriously ill and all are recovering, but the concerning aspect of these cases is how aggressively the disease has spread between dogs, even if they weren’t in close contact.”
Gordon said most affected dogs were vaccinated so they are still recommending for all pet owners to get the vaccine but there is now concern that they are seeing a virus that is not part of the current vaccine.
The BC SPCA urges dog owners to isolate their pets immediately if they begin coughing and to seek veterinary advice. In the meantime, the SPCA has collected samples as part of the outbreak investigation and is teaming up with specialists and diagnostic laboratories to pursue the cause of the outbreak.
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