Tulsa Veterinarian Addresses Respiratory Illness Spreading Among Dogs

Local veterinarians confirm that a dog illness impacting pets across the country is showing up in Oklahoma.

Dr. Whitney Hough, one of the veterinarians at STATVet Animal Urgent Care, said many vets have seen and heard the concern from pet owners who are worried about their animals.

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Hough said although this may be frightening, there isn’t enough research to label this illness as a pandemic.

STATVet has seen animals who are believed to have this illness, and it appears to be canine infectious upper respiratory disease complex, also known as kennel cough, Hough said.

Hough said kennel cough can be caused by a variety of viruses and bacteria, and common symptoms are coughing, nasal discharge, fever, poor appetite, and sleepiness.

She said veterinarians typically see an uptick in kennel cough due to boarding pets and increasing daycare visits during the holiday season.

“This is something that we expect. Just like humans with the cold season, dogs have a cold season as well. These cases are expected to have an uptick during this time of year. I think that it’s important for veterinarians and pet owners to not panic right now," Hough said.

Hough said to be mindful of your pet socializing with dogs at parks, or dogs who have been around others who aren’t up to date on vaccines.

“The best things I can say for owners during this season particularly, especially with us worried about this upper respiratory infection going around, you want to choose a boarding or day care facility that requires dogs to be up to date on their vaccines," Hough said.

She said to reach out to your veterinarian if your pet has experienced symptoms.