Unusual outbreaks of kennel cough in B.C. dog population

PRINCE GEORGE – There is a new variation of kennel cough floating around B.C., and although there haven’t been any reported fatalities, it is much more contagious than other strains.

This new form of kennel cough is making its rounds in the Okanagan so far, but so far in the north, there have been minimal cases.

“We first started seeing cases in dogs coming into our facilities in July and began hearing of similar cases in the community, particularly in the Kamloops region,” says Dr. Emilia Gordon, senior manager of animal health for the BC SPCA. “Any dogs in our care who were showing symptoms were immediately isolated, but as we began testing for known viruses and bacteria, the tests kept coming back negative. After consulting with specialists, we believe the cause could be a virus that isn’t detected by commercially available tests.”