Sota, a German Shorthaired Pointer, looks on as various dogs play at The Bark Park in Henderson after sundown Thursday July 27, 2023. Due to high temperatures in the Vegas valley, dog owners are having to wait till later in the evening or early in the morning to walk their dogs.
Friday, Dec. 1, 2023 | 2 a.m.
A highly contagious respiratory illness spreading among dogs across the county is causing concern with veterinarians and pet providers in Southern Nevada, who stress information is still limited on the infections and are advising residents to keep their dogs away from other canines.
Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, eye discharge and fever, according to the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine. Most cases haven’t been severe, but infected dogs are lethargic and have intermittent loss of appetite. It could prove to be fatal, veterinarians say.
The American Veterinary Medical Association said this week the disease has been reported in 14 states, including California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Nevada wasn’t included on the list — officially.
But Chad Bower, the medical director at Legacy Animal Hospital in Henderson, saw four dogs with respiratory illness symptoms last week. And he worries this is just the beginning.
“Our big concern is with all the holiday boarding and doggy daycare stuff,” Bower says. “That’s where the stuff is getting spread.”
Bower says this widespread phenomenon of illness includes dogs with “a cough that doesn’t respond to medicine very well,” as well as a rising number of pneumonia cases in dogs.
Bower says his theory is that it’s most likely not a brand-new disease but more likely several diseases circulating. He stresses the research on the respiratory ailment is still in progress.
He is concerned that if canine influenza is the culprit, a previously unvaccinated dog that is just now receiving the primary vaccine series for canine influenza wouldn’t be fully protected until about six weeks later.
“So canine influenza is fairly new. So dogs have no natural immunity to it at all, that’s the problem,” Bowers says. “So a dog that’s not vaccinated, if they come in contact with it, most likely it’s going to catch it.”
But even if a dog became sick, “the vast majority of dogs that get infectious respiratory tract disease have uneventful recoveries. That’s as true now as it was a year or 10 years ago,” Scott Weese, a professor at University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College, wrote in a blog post.
If your dog’s symptoms are severe, not improving or the pet has a risk factor, he said to take the dog to the vet.
Bower recommends avoiding boarding facilities, doggy day cares and dog parks, since this is where “dog-to-dog contact” and “nose-to-nose” contact occur.
“So right now, the key is don’t put your dog around other dogs,” Bower said. “You know, just (use) simple common sense, just like you would with your children.”
Still, some dog owners have no other option but to board their pets — especially during December when holiday travel is prevalent.
Family Paw, which provides grooming, boarding and daycare services in Henderson, is employing its usual sanitary precautions to a greater extent, such as disinfecting surfaces more often, general manager Ashley Miranda said.
“We also don’t let any dogs in without their shot records,” she said.
Family Paw requires their dog clients to be vaccinated against Bordetella (kennel cough), canine influenza, distemper-parvo and rabies. Puppies younger than 6 months old aren’t allowed.
Miranda, too, recommends avoiding visits to the park with your dogs, since they might encounter unvaccinated dogs and could contract airborne illnesses.
“I personally wouldn’t take my dog to the park right now,” Miranda said. “Maybe if you have a neighbor with a friendly dog, make like a playdate on your own without, you know, possibly exposing your dog to potential illnesses, especially if it’s airborne, you never know.”
In addition to avoiding other dogs, veterinarians stress making sure your pet is up-to-date on vaccines, especially for kennel cough.
The Nevada Department of Agriculture, which manages animal industries, echoed the advice from pet-care providers. In a statement the department said, “We recommend practicing good health safety practices with animals, keeping them up on their vaccines and taking them to a vet if they show any kinds of signs of illness.”
