Parimutuels

Kennel cough strain sidelines Derby Lane dogs

ST. PETERSBURG -- A limited number of greyhounds have raced at Derby Lane the past three days because the flu is running its course at the track.

Kennel cough (tracheobronchitis), a highly contagious canine malady much like the human cold or flu, has spread throughout the kennels at Derby Lane. Of the 1,426 dogs participating this season, about 100 have the virus, said Dr. Leon Sellers, the track veterinarian.

As a result, races have been affected, too. There were 20 greyhounds scratched from Friday's evening races, 10 from Thursday's evening races and nine from Wednesday's evening races and seven in the matinee. No races have been canceled.

The outbreak is unrelated to the one in 1999, when six greyhounds died from a pneumonialike illness. That experience, though, has made the track more cautious.

Derby Lane will impose a quarantine today at midnight, preventing dogs from entering or leaving the kennels. Tracks in Hollywood, Fla., and West Palm Beach have declared quarantines because of kennel cough. Jacksonville Racing Circuit has not had any outbreaks but is stopping arrivals and departures as a precaution.

"Kennel cough is here, and it's a matter of time before we get through it," said Bill Van Hoogan, director of racing for Derby Lane. "We don't know how long that will be, so we don't want to be exporting it or have other dogs coming in exposed to it."

Derby Lane has contacted the Florida Division of Parimutuels and the 23 kennels that are operating this season.

Sellers said about 12 kennels are affected. It takes about three days for the dogs to recover. The greyhounds that have the virus are on antibiotics and are not allowed to race, according to the state.

"It's not too alarming yet," Sellers said.

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