The recent rise in Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease reported to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) includes:
- Chronic mild to moderate inflammation of the trachea lasting six to eight weeks or longer, which is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.
- Chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.
- Acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and often leads to poor outcomes in as little as 24 to 36 hours.
Dog owners can protect their pets from respiratory illness by:
- Reducing contact with large numbers of unknown dogs. Just like with other respiratory pathogens, the more contacts your dog has, the greater the risk of encountering a dog that’s infectious.
- Reducing contact with sick dogs. This can be harder to determine but if a dog looks sick (coughing, runny nose, runny eyes), keep your dog away from it.
- Keep sick dogs at home and seek veterinary care.
- Avoid communal water bowls shared by multiple dogs.
- Ask your veterinarian for advice on which vaccinations your dog should have. Common vaccinations include canine influenza, Bordetella and parainfluenza.
- If it’s sick, consider having your dog tested with a PCR test to help determine the causative agent (viral/bacterial), if possible.
Thank you Dennis Hellawell for bringing this important matter to our attention.
For further information, see:
Oregon Veterinary Medical Association – Canine infectious respiratory disease in Oregon
American Veterinary Medical Association – Oregon dealing with respiratory illness incidents in dogs