September 10th, 2017 – We have received information that there have been several cases of Canine Cough in Southern Maine (this is not to be confused with the Canine Flu). We have currently NOT experienced any here at Green Acres at this time, but there is always the potential that this may occur.
We have contacted local veterinarians and asked them to keep us advised if they start to see canine cough in the greater Bangor area.
As you may all know, Canine Cough can come from a variety of different strains, and while we do require the vaccination, it is not full-proof, particularly against strains that may not be covered by the vaccine. That being said, vaccinated dogs typically recover more quickly. While for most dogs, Canine Cough is a relatively mild cold with an hacking cough, there is always a concern for the development of pneumonia, particularly in the young and the old.
If you are seeing any signs of a “cold” in your dog (runny eyes or nose, sneezing, coughing, lethargy, lack of appetite, fever, etc.) please do not bring your pet for daycare, boarding, grooming or training until they have seen their veterinarian and have been cleared. Also, please contact us immediately so that we are aware. As we experienced earlier this year, often dogs are contagious well before they are symptomatic so the sooner we have a heads up the better for all.
At Green Acres Kennel Shop we do require that dogs that board or daycare with us, or that are enrolled in a training class, be current on a canine cough vaccine as administered by their veterinarian, or canine cough nosodes as prescribed and provided by the veterinarian. Not all boarding and daycare facilities require canine cough preventatives.
Canine cough or kennel cough are lay terms for Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC), which is highly contagious to other dogs, much like the common cold is with people. Canine cough can be transmitted through the air from one dog to the next or by contact with contaminated objects such as a common water dish at the dog park or in front of a dog-friendly store. Like the common cold is to humans, canine cough is not typically serious, but if you see symptoms in your dog (coughing, gagging, vomiting, or general lethargy) I would recommend that you call your veterinarian.
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