New, Vaccine-resistant Strain of Kennel Cough?

Veterinarians and other animal care providers in the U.S. are reporting a possible vaccine-resistant strain of canine cough (kennel cough) or a “mysterious respiratory illness.” Veterinarians in Ohio have reportedly “noticed an influx of kennel cough illnesses in fully vaccinated dogs due to a new strain of the infection that is not protected by current vaccines.” (Source) In Tennessee, doggy daycares are reporting dramatically increased kennel cough cases and “that it has been spreading though the community, fast.” (Source) One daycare manager pointed the finger at “a new strain of the virus” coming from another state and veterinarians reportedly said they were backlogged with kennel cough cases “because it’s highly contagious and spreads through the air.” (Source) In North Carolina, a pet groomer and boarding and daycare owner warned of a “mysterious respiratory illness impacting dogs” that is “more than a regular kennel cough.” (Source) According to news reports, the pet care services owner has suspended boarding and daycare service until October 1, 2022, to try to slow the spread. (Source)

What is kennel cough?

Although commonly known as kennel cough, a more accurate term is canine cough as this highly contagious, airborne upper respiratory infection can be contracted virtually anywhere dogs are gathered. It is also known as Bordetella, canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC), or canine infectious tracheobronchitis. Kennel cough in dogs is usually not fatal, but it does cause symptoms that make an infected dog (and their human caregivers) quite miserable. An outbreak of kennel cough can lead to animal care facility closures which is why pet boarding and dog daycare facilities, veterinary clinics, groomers, animal shelters, or locations where other dogs are present need protocols in place to help prevent its spread.

Aerapy UV helps stop the spread of kennel cough

Because airborne transmission is the primary transmission route for kennel cough, sanitizing the air is a critical part of disease prevention, particularly when vaccines cannot be relied on. Unfortunately, air sanitizing is often the most neglected area of an animal care facility’s disinfection routine. Air disinfection includes:

• Using the proper size air filters and changing on a regular interval.
• Ensuring proper air circulation within the facility.
• Ensuring air from isolation areas are not shared with the general facility.
• Using properly sized UV air sanitizing systems that can achieve a 99.9% kill rate in one air pass.
• Enhancing surface cleaning by reducing the number of pathogens in the air before they can land on surfaces.

Aerapy has been the leader in UV for animal care since 2008. Aerapy’s UV disinfection technology has been tested against the Bordetella pathogen and achieved a greater than 99.9% kill rate. For more information today and what we can do for your animal care facility, give us a call today at 866-994-2473 or write to us online for more information.