Kennel Cough Alert: Cases Rising in the Valley

As we approach the upcoming busy holiday season, we want to make our dog owners aware that we are seeing a new strain of canine kennel cough spreading around the Valley.

While Red Hill Animal Health does require that all dogs in our kennel, daycare and grooming are vaccinated for bordetella, it is only one of the many causative agents of the broad term “kennel cough”, also known as Canine Upper Respiratory Disease Complex (CURDC). It is not uncommon for kennel cough to be caused by both a virus and bacterial infection and although the vaccine cannot protect your dog 100 percent, it is very effective and can minimize symptoms and recovery in dogs that do contract kennel cough.

Red Hill has seen a couple of cases over the past few weeks in dogs that have been in our daycare/boarding facility. We have also treated several dogs in our veterinary practice that either have been in another daycare/boarding facility or a high-risk environment such as the dog park where there may be a high number of unvaccinated dogs.

In addition to the typical "goose honk" cough, some patients are experiencing sneezing and nasal discharge. We hope to minimize any further cases by increasing our sanitation protocols and screening all dogs upon arrival to our boarding kennel. 

If your pet is coughing, sneezing or exhibiting signs of kennel cough, please keep them home and away from other dogs to prevent the further spread of infection.

Feel free to call us to discuss your pets’ symptoms and any need for treatment or supportive care. We appreciate your cooperation. Please do not hesitate to reach out to a member of our medical team, or our Kennel Manager, Julia with any questions at (970) 704-0403.