Update on Canine Infectious Respiratory Illness

Update on Canine Infectious Respiratory Illness - 12/18/23

CVMA continues to receive inquiries from the media and member hospitals seeking information on canine infectious respiratory illness affecting dogs.CVMA is in contact with the CT State Veterinarian and urges dog owners to remain vigilant regarding their pet's health and to work closely with their veterinarian if they notice signs of illness. There are multiple causes of infectious respiratory diseases in dogs, many of which can be prevented or minimized through routine vaccination or timely veterinary care.  

In general, the illness is contagious, spreading among dogs through contact with other dogs. The only way to distinguish between the multiple causes of infectious respiratory disease in dogs is through early diagnostic testing. Signs of the disease include coughing, sneezing, nasal and/or eye discharge, fever, loss of appetite, and lethargy. Coughing may persist for weeks to months, and severe forms of the disease can progress to life-threatening pneumonia.

For pet owners seeking more information, following are some basic tips practices can share encouraging pet owners to:

• Work with their veterinarian to ensure their dog is up to date on routine vaccinations.
• Make sure their dog is fully vaccinated before interacting with other dogs.
• Avoid food and water bowls shared by multiple unknown dogs.
• Contact their veterinarian if their dog is exhibiting any signs of illness and keep their dog at home and away from other dogs.
• Keep their dog away from dogs that are sick or whose vaccination status is unknown.
  

Also,  animal shelter and kennel staff should follow their intake and vaccination protocols when bringing in new dogs and continue to follow required isolation protocols and recommended cleaning/disinfection procedures for surfaces and equipment.

There is further information at the University of New Hampshire website (veterinary diagnostic laboratory) as well as via recent New York Times and Connecticut Public Radio articles.

CVMA will continue to share information as it becomes available.