Kennel Cough (Atypical Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex)
My guess is this is simply an outbreak of media attention piggybacked on a somewhat increased rate of CIRDC cases that we’ve seen over the past year. - Scott Weese
image by: A-Team ELITE Rescue Dogs
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Respiratory Disease in Dogs Sweeping Across the US: Outbreak of Disease or Media Attention?
Various groups in different areas of the US are reporting cases of respiratory disease in dogs (which we refer to as canine infectious respiratory disease complex, or CIRDC) in dogs in various parts of the US. There’s always limited info about true numbers, and the disease description is vague and quite familiar (coughing dogs, some that get pneumonia, a few that die).
The issue is, that largely describes the every day status quo when it comes to CIRDC. This syndrome is endemic in dogs and has a variety of known causes (e.g. canine parainfluenza virus, Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine respiratory coronavirus, canine pneumovirus, canine influenza virus, Streptococcus zooepidemicus……
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An unknown respiratory illness is sickening dogs in the US, but ‘don’t panic’
“We really don’t want people to panic. Respiratory disease in dogs is nothing new,” Brian Collins, a veterinarian from the Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, tells PopSci. “But there may be times when it seems like we’re seeing more disease than usual. We’re trying to keep a very open mind and are considering bacteria and viruses that we’re familiar with as well as novel ones.”
Mystery Dog Respiratory Disease (Or Not) and Antibiotics (Or Not)
So, while we’re not sure what’s going on with all the coughing dogs in the US right now, we can be reasonably confident we know how to treat them. Our usual approaches will still work. We need to be conservative with antimicrobials, but also ready to use appropriate drugs (including broad spectrum, higher tier drugs) when indicated. The right drug at the right dose for the right patient still applies.
Could a 'funky' pathogen be sickening dogs? Scientists search for clues
"We found no known DNA or RNA viruses, no bacterial pathogens, no fungal pathogens," says Needle, "We were sort of at a breaking point." Until finally, a clue: A short segment of DNA belonging to what — as far as Needle can tell — appears to be bacteria that no one has ever described before. "We think this may be a pathogen," he says, "It's something novel. It's in a proportion of the cases. It's funky." Specifically, it appears similar to a genus of bacteria called Mycoplasma, which lack cell walls.
Understanding the Atypical Canine Respiratory Strain: A Guide for Pet Owners
It is important to note that there is a broad spectrum of potential respiratory diseases, the majority of which fall within the already established causes of respiratory diseases, meaning that just because they are exhibiting signs does not necessarily mean that they have this novel strain.
What to Know About the Mysterious Respiratory Illness Affecting Dogs
Dogs with kennel cough may show some of these symptoms, such as coughing, lack of appetite, fever and lethargy. If it’s kennel cough, the symptoms usually clear up in one to three weeks. With the latest respiratory illness, however, veterinarians are reporting that dogs can have symptoms for six weeks or more.
Respiratory Disease in Dogs Sweeping Across the US: Outbreak of Disease or Media Attention?
My guess is this is simply an outbreak of media attention piggybacked on a somewhat increased rate of CIRDC cases that we’ve seen over the past year.
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