Alerts:

Canine Respiratory Disease Outbreak: There are growing reports in California and other states of a canine respiratory disease whose cause remains unidentified. The CVMA has been closely monitoring these reports, which have been particularly widespread in Oregon and Colorado. Apart from these states, cases have been officially or anecdotally reported in Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Washington. Oregon state officials have received around 200 case reports since mid-August. The Oregon Department of Agriculture notes that reported cases generally fall into three clinical syndromes:

1. Chronic mild to moderate tracheobronchitis lasting six to eight weeks or longer, which is minimally or not responsive to antimicrobials.
2. Chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antimicrobials.
3. Acute pneumonia with rapid deterioration leading to poor outcomes within 24 to 36 hours.

Efforts are being made in collaboration with diagnostic laboratories to identify the causative pathogen for the illness. While bacterial associations have been noted in some cases, current suspicions lean towards a viral origin, and veterinary researchers at Colorado State University have been intensively observing a potential virus linked to severe pneumonia resulting in fatalities. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) encourages dog owners to consult with their veterinarian when relevant symptoms arise. Those symptoms include:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Labored breathing
• Nose or eye discharge
• Lethargy
• Decreased appetite

Pending identification of the causative agent while assuming a viral cause, treatment focuses on supportive care, including proper hydration and nutrition to prevent secondary bacterial infections. Antibiotics may be prescribed if the bacterial cause is identified or strongly suspected. Severe cases might require aggressive treatment like hospitalization, isolation, IV fluids, oxygen support, nebulization, and coupage. Preventative measures, such as avoiding tracheal irritation, are emphasized.

An informative article on Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex and its treatment is available at NCBI - WWW Error Blocked Diagnostic.

The CVMA has also been made aware of a report from the San Diego Humane Society regarding a canine respiratory illness outbreak exacerbated by overcrowding, which is known to be Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (also known as Strep zoo). There is no indication that this illness in San Diego is related to the more widespread respiratory illness of unknown cause.

Additional resources: American Veterinary Medical Association, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine