Dog owners across Northwest Arkansas are keeping animal hospitals busier than usual after a kennel cough outbreak.
Kennel cough is a non-life threatening illness but is highly contagious.
Doctor Jack Herring with the Wedington Animal Hospital says just one sneeze can pass the infection from one dog to another.
Wedington Animal Hospital alone has seen at least 18 dogs with symptoms since Friday, the highest number in more than 20 years.
Despite the spike, Dr. Herring says this outbreak comes as no surprise.
“It’s just like the flu virus, it goes through the human population every year, there’s always outbreaks, and you deal with it as best you can,” Herring said.
Kennel cough can be treated with antibiotics. Dr. Herring said the best way to keep your dog healthy is to get the kennel cough vaccine at least twice a year.
