A Fort Salonga Animal Hospital veterinarian is reporting a rise in dogs coming down with kennel cough.

Veterinarian Kenneth Luckow says he is seeing the cough in higher frequency this year because animals are spending additional time in boarding kennels, being groomed more frequently and spending extra time with other animals.

"It's easier to spread when you have a lot of animals at the same place at the same time," he says.

Luckow says pet owners should look out for the noticeable cough, which sounds like a honking or choking sound, but the best way to prevent kennel cough is to have dogs vaccinated.

Any pet owner who suspects their dog has kennel cough should seek help from a veterinarian.