Nobody Noticed This Shelter Dog, But Then Everyone Loved Him

Russ Had Come Down With Kennel Cough

It turned out that Russ was suffering from kennel cough. Scientifically known as canine infectious tracheobronchitis, kennel cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease that affects places where large amounts of dogs congregate. Although it is called “kennel” cough, a canine can contract it at dog parks, training groups, and dog shows. It is spread via direct contact, contaminated surfaces, and also through airborne droplets. Although it is a treatable disease, it can be extremely dangerous depending on how young a dog is. Depending on the severity of the disease in the dog, it can be treated with a couple weeks of rest or it may require medication.

His Kennel Cough Made Him Unhealthy

The most obvious symptom of kennel cough is a strong cough with a “honking” sound, according to the American Kennel Club. Dogs affected with kennel cough may also display symptoms of runny nose, sneezing, lethargy, loss of appetite, and low fever. In Russ’s case, he had itchy skin, an eye infection, a bleeding tail, and he was underweight. Despite being sick, Russ was apparently happy to be acquainted with Filoon when she took him out for a walk. Filoon, of course, wasn’t deterred in the slightest by Russ’s sickly demeanor. Filoon instantly knew that there was something special about Russ.