Several dogs contract kennel cough at local boarding facility

A nasty strain of kennel cough is spreading around the area’s pet kennels.

“One a dog gets it, it can spread like wildfire,” said the owner of Camp Bow Wow, Isel Tiziano.

And a place like Cape Bow Wow—although seemingly innocent—is just one of the places pets can catch it.

Right now, the kennel is boarding about 80 dogs, and 20 of them are showing symptoms of kennel cough.

“Luckily a lot of the dogs who do have the vaccine are just showing mild symptoms,” Tiziano said.

Dr. Randall Eisel says his office has treated a number of dogs.

“Kennel cough is very easily spread, that’s why (it spreads) in groups at kennels or boarding places, groomers, and even veterinary offices,” Eisel said.

Veterinarians suggest making sure your dog is vaccinated. And Camp Bow Wow says they require every dog be vaccinated every six months to better protect everyone.

“It’s just like the flu vaccine, and not everybody is 100 percent protected,” Eisel said.

“All of the dogs that come through here are vaccinated so they are less susceptible but they’re still not immune,” Tiziano said.

At Camp Bow Wow, employees are doing what they can to make sure the kennels are as clean as they can be—and also making sure customers know about the outbreak.

“Every customer that calls, emails or comes in, we are explaining the risk to them,” Tiziano said.

Veterinarians say kennel cough can usually be treated and cured with antibiotics, but you’ll still want to see a professional. Some case can get more severe than others, especially if your dog hasn’t been vaccinated.