Kennel Cough: Mycoplasma vs. Bordetella
(Please note that some content may refer to our original name, PetAirapy.)
September 15, 2020
Troubling news out of North Carolina where an outbreak of canine cough (kennel cough) has prompted veterinary facilities to temporarily close doggie daycare and dog boarding services. Described as an “unusual strain” of kennel cough, it is caused by the Mycoplasma bacteria, as distinguished from the more common—and the one typically vaccinated against—Bordetella. Like Bordetella, this Mycoplasma strain of kennel cough is an airborne disease that causes similar symptoms including cough, nasal discharge, lethargy, or fever.
In a report on the outbreak by WECT News in Wilmington, North Carolina, one veterinarian notes that Mycoplasma is “something that we don’t regularly vaccinate for.” An important reminder that proper infection control needs a multipronged strategy that includes air disinfection and surface disinfection, in addition to typical vaccine protocols.
For more on how pathogens like Mycoplasma are spread and how PetAirapy’s UV disinfection technology can tackle those infectious pathogens traveling in the air, see our “The Science Behind UV Disinfection” page or contact us for more information.
Photo by Victor Grabarczyk on Unsplash
