Respiratory Illnesses: Dogs

By Deb Haines

The mystery illness you may have heard about doesn’t have an official name yet. It’s being referred to as atypical canine infectious respiratory disease (aCIRD).

Here’s what we know about the condition so far:

• It causes respiratory symptoms in dogs.
• It doesn’t respond to the usual treatments for other respiratory illnesses.
• Testing shows it’s not one of the more common respiratory infections dogs can get.
• It’s spreading among a pretty small number of dogs so far.
• There have been no reports that the illness affects humans.

So what does this all mean? Well, it’s not uncommon for illnesses like this to develop and spread among dogs — or any animal for that fact.

Cases may spread quickly in a communal environment. Respiratory diseases spread through direct dog-to-dog contact and indirectly via respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing, or contamination of shared surfaces. Therefore, owners of dogs that go to day care, dog training classes, dog parks, shelters, and boarding/grooming facilities should be mindful of the potential for disease transmission in areas where dogs are in close proximity. In addition, owners should remain informed about any cases of respiratory disease in these locations.

See your veterinarian if a dog is experiencing respiratory signs including:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Ocular/nasal discharge
• Fever
• Decreased appetite

Keep your dog isolated from other dogs to minimize the spread, especially as the details of this disease continue to emerge.

Get your dog vaccinated.

Owners should be sure their dogs are up to date with vaccinations, including those that protect against: Bordetella, Adenovirus 2, Parainfluenza, and the influenza H3N2 vaccine. Please avoid bringing a dog into the community until the immune system has had time to build immunity (approximately two weeks after vaccination). If owners have immunocompromised dogs (e.g., puppies that are not fully vaccinated and senior dogs with other health problems), they should be cautious about bringing them around other dogs.

Here at Pet Vet Corner we encourage you to establish a relationship with your local veterinarian.

Please do not wait until an emergency.

Link for more information on virus..

Oregon Veterinary Medical Association – Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease

**The Vet Corner groups encourage members to establish a relationship with their local veterinarian, don’t wait until an emergency.**