Respiratory Disease “Outbreak” in Dogs
 
What’s the Scoop? 
Clark County Humane Society is aware of the the news stories and social media posts regarding a potential new/severe respiratory disease developing in dogs in the United States. Unfortunately, there has not yet been one official pathogen identified as the culprit in these cases. This means that veterinarians currently do not know if there is truly a new respiratory pathogen affecting dogs in the US or if there is an increase/change in a pathogen that has already been affecting our dogs for years.
 
Respiratory disease is actually quite prevalent in dogs and has been for a long time. It is often broadly referred to as Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC). CIRDC is a term that encompasses numerous known pathogens that lead to respiratory disease in dogs: canine parainfluenza virus, Bordetella Bronchiseptica, canine respiratory coronavirus, canine pneumovirus, canine influenza virus, Streptococcus zooepidemicus, and Mycoplasma are the most common. Diagnosing one of these specific pathogens can be time consuming and expensive. Thus, treatment is usually started without having a definitive diagnosis. 
 
What Should Dog Owner’s Watch For?
The most common signs of respiratory disease in dogs are: cough or difficulty breathing, nasal or ocular discharge (clear or colored), lethargy, and decrease in appetite. If you note these signs in your pet, please contact your primary care veterinarian. More advanced respiratory disease, like pneumonia, can develop if initial signs are left untreated or if an animal has an immature or debilitated immune system (usually young or elderly patients, or those with pre-existing lung/heart disease). Please also know that brachycephalic dogs (short-nosed dogs) are at higher risk for more severe effects of respiratory disease given their anatomy. 
 
What Can Dog Owner’s Do to Protect Their Pets?
Until more information is known, we can provide you with general recommendations: 
 
Ensure your dog is up to date on vaccinations. Please contact your primary care veterinarian to discuss what vaccines they recommend and what vaccines are currently available for your pet. 
Limit your dogs’ contact with other dogs, especially with dogs of unknown health status. 
Keep your dog away from sick dogs. And if your dog is sick, please keep him/her isolated from other dogs until at least ONE MONTH beyond resolution of signs. 
If you have concerns about the health of your dog, contact your primary care vet promptly. Do not wait for signs to progress.
 
Should You Worry About Your Pet Being Exposed to a Respiratory Pathogen at Fixapet?
Where there is more than one dog, there is risk. This means that vet clinics, shelters, boarding/grooming facilities, and dog parks are common places where a healthy dog would be likely to come in contact with a sick dog. Clark County Humane Society recognizes this risk and takes significant measures to reduce spread of all infectious disease in cats and dogs that come to our facility:
We monitor our shelter animals closely for any signs of respiratory disease and numerous other illnesses to ensure prompt care of the individual animal and reduce spread of disease to other animals.
We keep shelter animals and owned pets separated.
We do NOT perform surgery on sick animals. 
We have extensive cleaning protocols in place. 
 
If you have further questions or concerns, please call us or your primary care vet. We want everyone to have a happy, healthy holiday season!