We would like to address our clients about a very contagious, potentially very serious respiratory infection affecting dogs in our region that has been on the news recently.

You may have heard of kennel cough, which is a generally mild, contagious respiratory infection affecting dogs. Kennel cough may be bacterial or viral in origin, and most cases clear up on their own, or with a short course of medication (generally antibiotics and cough suppressants).

There is a new respiratory illness that causes a cough, but doesn’t respond as well to standard treatments, and has the potential to lead to pneumonia and other more serious complications not generally seen with standard cases of kennel cough. It can also last much longer than the typical 7-10 day course of kennel cough. As of now there is no definitive way to diagnose this type of illness, as researchers still aren’t sure exactly what the cause is, although they think it is a bacteria related to Mycoplasma. This is an area of ongoing investigation, however.

If your dog is displaying any respiratory signs, we recommend that they come in for an exam right away. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, runny eyes, and trouble breathing. We have an exam room with a separate entrance that we use so these patients are not in the lobby, and we may wear personal protective equipment such as gowns and exam gloves to maintain safety for our other patients, and to limit spread of illness.

During the exam we will take your dog’s temperature and listen to their heart and lungs thoroughly. We may recommend x-rays of their chest to make sure there is no lower airway disease, such as pneumonia. Our physical exam and diagnostic findings will guide our treatment choices, and if we have any suspicion of this more serious respiratory illness, we will treat aggressively and be sure to follow through to make sure your pet recovers.
It is important to note that while dogs affected by this illness can be quite sick, nearly all will pull through just fine with early intervention and appropriate care. We are also seeing a lot of run-of-the-mill kennel cough that responds quickly to the standard treatments. It is also important to note that this respiratory disease is limited only to dogs, and does not appear to spread to humans or other mammals. You can try to limit spread by keeping your dog away from coughing dogs, limiting their exposure to other dogs through daycare/dog parks, and isolating your dog if they show any respiratory symptoms.

Please know that we have your pet’s best interests in mind, and do not hesitate to call or email us with any questions or concerns.