By Dr. Johnathan Pierce
Happy New Year! Many of you will be traveling over the next few weeks and you may choose to take your pets with you or have them stay at a boarding facility. Either way, there are some infectious diseases that you should be aware of that your pets may be exposed to in these situations.
Bordatella bronchoseptica (kennel cough) is the most common respiratory disease that we see and vaccinate for. We should vaccinate at least two weeks prior to boarding although the oral and nasal vaccine types can start to provide some protection within a few days. This is also a disease that we can see while traveling as the bacteria can linger in high traffic areas like rest stops or be aerosolized and infect at a distance. Direct contact is not required for infection. Symptoms include a dry, hacking/honking cough, with or without a fever and lethargy.
Patients may cough up a phlegm-like substance and it can be mistaken for retching or vomiting. It is possible with severe infection for pneumonia to result however this is rare.
Canine influenza is typically seen sporadically and in geographical hot spots. We normally see outbreaks within the dog showing community and in large boarding situations. Symptoms are typically more severe than most respiratory infections with patients exhibiting severe cough, fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, and ocular and nasal discharge. Patients may have difficulty breathing, be dehydrated, cough blood and possibly develop pneumonia. Some boarding facilities require vaccination two weeks prior to the pet’s stay but they are definitely recommended if you are traveling to areas where recent outbreaks have occurred.
More recently we have seen canine pneumovirus in the news. Usually this disease occurs, very similar to RSV in humans, in clusters of dogs that have come from less-than-ideal circumstances and are introduced into a high-density boarding situation such as an animal shelter. We have recently had an outbreak in a couple of the shelters here in Pinellas. The disease typically stays localized to the shelters, however it can enter the surrounding community. Symptoms include cough, fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, and ocular and nasal discharge.
All of these diseases can mimic the other and affect pets with different degrees of severity. Make sure your pets are up to date on all their vaccinations and make sure to ask your veterinarian what their vaccination recommendations are for your travel or boarding needs. If your pets exhibit any of the above symptoms, take your pet to your veterinarian to be examined and determine what treatment may be necessary (not only for your pet’s well-being but to prevent spread to other pets).