Kennel cough affecting Fairfax County shelter dogs

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — Pets are like family to many people, which is why a spike in kennel cough is so concerning. As of Monday, nearly 75% percent of dogs at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter have the virus. 

Officials at the shelter say kennel cough can be likened to the common cold among humans, but the virus can be increasingly prevalent when there is abundance of dogs at the shelter.

Reasa Currier with the Fairfax County Animal Shelter says kennel cough can mimic COVID-19 in the sense that the best prevention is keeping your pets up to date on the vaccinations. 

However, vaccines don't guarantee that your dog or pet won't get kennel cough, but the symptoms will be lessened.

"It could be just some sniffling and nasal discharge for a couple days," Currier explained, "to full on out cold symptoms with coughing and lethargy."

But Currier says the best medicine is giving your pet some rest and time to recover. She says their veterinarian does see each dog with kennel cough, and if more severe, will prescribe medicine to help them get healthy again.

The main cause of kennel cough is exposure to the virus, which can be exacerbated by the 25% increase in dogs that the Fairfax County shelter has seen this summer. 

"It increases their vulnerability to illnesses and so kennel cough is just one of those things that when dogs are stressed, they can be more vulnerable to getting it," she said. 

So if you want to help that pup be a little less stressed this summer, the Fairfax County Animal Shelter welcomes foster homes as well as permanent homes. 

Officials say dog adoption fees are waived on Fridays.