Port Aransas Animal Shelter is temporarily closed as it combats a Kennel Cough outbreak among dogs.

PORT ARANSAS, Texas — Port Aransas Animal Shelter is temporarily closed after five dogs were confirmed to have Kennel Cough—a contagious respiratory disease.

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Shelter Officer BJ Grimes said they jumped into action to prevent it from spreading.

“So in a shelter environment once they all get them, it’s kind of hard to not have it spread,” Grimes said. “So we’re doing is every animal goes out we deep clean everything we use our sanitizing equipment that we use we let everything dry out we’ll bring them back in.”

Those precautions have led to limitations for visitors.

“So right now our cats, people come see our cats, but as far as dogs go, you can’t go in there and see the dogs or anything like that.,” Grimes said.

Santa Fe Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Julianna Shaffer said Kennel Cough is common but treatable.

“If you treat them at all, it’s just with antitussives. Every now and then it’s an antibiotic if they need it. If there’s a bunch of, you know, gross discharge from the nose or the eyes, it seems like it’s worse than normal. But most of the time it’s just something for cough,” Shaffer said.

That early treatment and proper containment is what Shaffer said makes all the difference. 

“It’s very contagious. It spreads typically through respiratory droplets. Some of them can be airborne — it’s typically found in dogs that are in close proximity to each other,” Shaffer said. “They tend to be less severe with the vaccine on board.”

For now — Grimes said the situation is under control.

“It’s kind of just let it run its course. So right now the ones that do have it, everything’s just mild, it’s just a cough, so we don’t need to intervene with medication at this moment,” Grimes said.

And for those hoping to rescue a new furry friend — the shelter plans to fully reopen once all dogs are healthy and ready to meet their new families.