29/12/2023
The most recent guidance from the American Veterinary Medical Association on coughing dogs...
Cases of canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) in multiple states have been catching much media attention lately. Efforts are underway to identify one or more pathogens that may be responsible.
Meanwhile, dog owners understandably have questions, and veterinary teams need trustworthy answers. Here’s information that your veterinary team can share with clients to help address their concerns.
Outbreaks of CIRDC occur regularly, and the recent outbreak isn’t cause for alarm.
Several different bacteria and viruses can contribute to CIRDC, and we don’t yet know which one(s) are causing the outbreak. While we can’t rule out the possibility that a new organism may be responsible for the outbreak, current disease patterns aren’t consistent with the emergence of a new, easily transmitted pathogen.
Most dogs with CIRDC will have only mild illness, recovering fully within 7 to 10 days. The classic sign is a frequent, honking cough that comes on suddenly, but some dogs may have sneezing and/or a runny nose or eyes.
Typically, only a small percentage of dogs will develop more severe disease, depending on the infecting organism(s) and the dog’s ability to fight it.
Signs that your dog needs immediate veterinary care include the following:
Lingering cough
Weakness
Loss of appetite
Difficulty breathing
Worsening of illness
A cough so severe that your dog vomits or has trouble breathing
These factors increase a dog’s risk of becoming ill:
Short-nose breed, like French Bulldogs
Very young or old age
Compromised immune system
Pre-existing respiratory disease or heart disease
The best way to protect your dog against CIRDC is to keep their vaccines current. Vaccines not only reduce the chance of your dog becoming ill. They also make your dog less likely to develop severe disease or spread infection to other dogs.
Optimal protection against common respiratory infections includes an annual intranasal vaccine against Bordetella, canine adenovirus type 2, and canine parainfluenza. Where canine influenza is known to be circulating, the injectable canine influenza vaccine also is recommended. Your veterinarian can help you decide which vaccines your dog needs to stay as healthy as possible.
If your dog is sick, keep them away from other dogs.
In general, the risk of people getting sick from exposure to dogs with CIRDC is extremely low.