A local animal hospital says you should keep a close watch on your dog as kennel cough is making the rounds in the Halifax area.
The Metro Animal Emergency Clinic in Dartmouth has taken to social media to let you know they’ve been overwhelmed with calls and visits because of the highly contagious respiratory disease.
Dogs who become sick could have many symptoms in addition to a dry cough including sneezing, discharge from the eyes and nose, a lack of an appetite, as well as lethargy.
Kennel cough is transmitted through respiratory droplets, which means it can be passed from one animal to another in shared spaces like kennel environments.
The Metro Animal Emergency Clinic says you have to keep your puppy home if they aren’t feeling well, and that includes walks in the park and trips to doggy daycare.
“Most dogs will recover uneventfully, but not all dogs. Kennel cough can result in life threatening illness so it is very important to limit the spread,” the Facebook post says. “Kennel cough outbreaks are not unusual but this one seems particularly unpleasant. Let’s all do our part to limit the spread.”
The vet clinic says in most cases your pet will probably be uncomfortable for a week or two.
A vet can prescribe cough suppressants or antibiotics, if required.
The emergency clinic says you should consult its care if your dog has a fever, is extremely tired, and has a hard time breathing or “wet” breathing with thick green discharge from the eyes or nose.
