What You Need to Know About the Unidentified Canine Respiratory Illness

In the week before Thanksgiving, a number of major news outlets started reporting that a new canine respiratory illness was sickening and in some cases killing dogs in a number of states across the country. Since mid November there has been relatively little new information. Pets in states across the country have been affected, from California and Oregon, to most of the New England States, to parts of the South, including Florida and Georgia. To find out more, I contacted Dr. Adrienne Gotz, a veterinarian in southern California. Although she is not involved in the research, she was able to point me in the direction of the most up-to-date information available. Here is the current state of what we know.  

What Is It? 

While a common pathogen has not been firmly identified, this illness presents in a similar way to Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC), more commonly known as kennel cough. As the name suggests, it is often seen in places where dogs congregate together, in particular in shelters, kennels, and daycare settings. These types of infection are relatively common, though not often serious enough to require medical care.  

In spite of these symptoms’ similarity to kennel cough, initial testing suggests that the illness is not caused by any of the standard viruses or bacteria associated with that syndrome. An early report from the University of New Hampshire’s Diagnostic Veterinary Laboratory in June of 2023 stated that it had isolated and sequenced the genome for a common pathogen in “31 dogs with [a] shared clinical syndrome.” In this case, they have identified a bacterium known as IOLA KY405. IOLA KY405 has only recently had its DNA sequenced, during a study in humans less than ten years ago. Dr. Scott Weese, who has covered this issue extensively on his blog Worms & Germs, points out that it is presently unknown whether IOLA KY405 is the cause of the infection, an opportunistic sequential infection, or a contaminant that could be present in healthy individuals. 

Some recent reporting suggests that this illness may not be new or mysterious at all. Writing in the New York Times, Emily Anthes suggests that the outbreak may be linked to an overall increase of infections by known pathogens that cause CIRDC. While this is possible, and although there does not seem to be cause to panic right now, we remain somewhat skeptical of this interpretation, which may be misleading. A more recent report from the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (cited by Anthes), which has been conducting much of the testing related to this illness stresses that, “there has been no official identification of what causes this syndrome,” and that the majority of samples tested “are usually negative on syndromic canine respiratory disease PCR testing,” leaving it unclear as to what pathogens might be involved. 

What If My Dog Gets Infected?

You may be wondering what to look for in case your dog becomes ill. Symptoms are variable, though generally respiratory in nature. In an updated press release the Oregon Department of Agriculture outlines three principal syndromes of varying severity associated with the infection. The least concerning is a mild to moderate “tracheobronchitis” lasting up to two months. Second is chronic pneumonia. Lastly an acute pneumonia that “often leads to poor outcomes in as little as 24-36 hours.” This last item, while concerning, occurs in only a small percentage of all cases. 

The first two syndromes are reportedly “unresponsive or minimally responsive” to antibiotics. From this unresponsiveness to antibiotics we might infer that these first two syndromes are likely to be viral in nature. The third, and also the most serious, seems more likely to be bacterial in nature and might possibly be a secondary infection. ODA, who has thus far been providing the most detailed information, does not speculate on the nature of these infections, or on the type of pathogen that it is.

How to Treat an Infected Dog 

With viral infections in both humans and dogs, the best treatment is rest, fluids, and nutrition. Make sure your dog is getting enough to drink, and that they are getting high quality food during their illness. As with humans, older dogs, and those with suppressed immune systems are more likely to be most severely affected. All outlets reporting on this “outbreak” (more on this later) stress working with a veterinarian if your dog shows signs of infection and to monitor them as closely as possible for signs of worsening symptoms. Coupage (a technique where a trained professional gently strikes a dog’s flank with a cupped hand) can help to free airways by breaking up mucosal blockages and providing temporary relief. 

Given that this is a respiratory syndrome, it’s worth wondering whether the symptoms are more prevalent or more acute in breeds already known for suffering from respiratory issues (in particular in dogs with shorter snouts). Thus far, there is no reporting suggesting that this is the case. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, CIRDC appears to affect all breeds of dog equally, so it is not necessarily more likely to affect dogs with more compressed sinus tracts, such as pugs or bulldogs. Presently the number of cases nationwide in this outbreak is still relatively small. There is not yet enough data to show whether this disease affects all dogs in the same way.

How Worried Should You Be?

The ODA press release, issued initially in November, and updated on 6 December, states that, “We suggest caution, rather than worry.” Although relatively widespread, the overall number of cases remains relatively low. And as Scott Weese points out on his blog, “The vast majority of dogs that get CIRDC recover uneventfully.” 

I Still Don’t Want My Dog to Get Sick. What Can I Do?

The ODA briefing offers a number of common sense recommendations for preventing the spread of illness. For those wanting to keep their pets safe, they recommend a number of important measures that every pet owner can take. These include making sure your dog is up to date on all vaccinations, avoiding shared bowls and toys, limiting or avoiding contact with unfamiliar dogs (they also recommend creating a regular pod or playgroup to make sure your dog doesn’t miss out on necessary socialization), keeping your pet on-leash as much as possible, keeping animals exhibiting symptoms at home, and seeking veterinary care.

What Are We Doing Around the Shop to Keep Dogs Safe? 

Around the shop at dogish, we’re making sure to follow the recommendations laid out by ODA and similar organizations. Such measures include minimizing contact between dogs. Our dog visitors are always kept separate from one another, during bathing, drying, and styling. Between services, dogs are kept in individual kennels, limiting contact. Kennels, grooming tables, all tools used during grooming, and any bedding present in kennels are all properly sanitized or laundered between each use. We also highly recommend making sure that your dog is up to date on vaccinations, and that you reschedule your appointment if your dog isn’t feeling well. 

Thank you for partnering with us in keeping your dogs safe, healthy, and beautifully cared for.