Reported cases of infectious respiratory illness in dogs have spiked recently in North Texas.
Ashley Priddy, who is a vet and the owner of Dallas Veterinary Clinic, told CBS News that this commonly happens during the travel season or in hot spots witnessing a population boom.
Texas, and Dallas-Fort Worth especially, has been a prime destination for domestic migrants from out of state, per The Dallas Express.
“Everybody wants to come to Dallas, and everybody moves to Dallas, and they bring their dogs. And obviously, those dogs can bring in pathogens, and when they go boarding, they’ll spread the pathogens, too,” Priddy said, per CBS News.
This can also occur at other locations where dogs are gathered together, such as dog parks, doggy daycare centers, or groomers.
Bordetella, typically referred to as kennel cough, is the most common infectious respiratory illness affecting dogs.
Bacterial infections of Bordetella bronchiseptica cause inflammation in dogs’ upper respiratory systems, leading to sneezing, runny noses, and low-grade fevers, per the American Kennel Club.
While not typically fatal, these kinds of illnesses spread quickly and easily.
As The Dallas Express reported, animal shelters across the country have been facing outbreaks of dog flu.
In places where owner surrenders are occurring at a high pace, such as Dallas Animal Services, overcrowded kennels have created an ideal environment for respiratory illnesses to spread.
Yet pathogens can live on all kinds of surfaces, even the sidewalk. As such, even dogs that don’t often socialize with others can become infected.
Priddy encouraged dog owners to take their dogs to the vet if they start showing symptoms, per CBS News.
She said a course of antibiotics might need to be prescribed but noted the most effective way to combat canine infectious respiratory diseases is to vaccinate against them.
Although the Bordetella vaccine is a non-core vaccine, it is a good idea to opt for it if your dog frequently socializes with others or has an autoimmune disorder, per the AKC.
Keep in mind that most vaccines require time to work efficiently, so don’t put them off, Priddy added.
“The best way to do it would be to actually get their boosters a few weeks before they go to the boarding kennel or they before they go grooming,” Priddy explained, per CBS News. “That allows their body the chance for the immunity to build up so then, when they get exposed to that pathogen, they hopefully won’t get sick.”
