Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC), more familiarly known as kennel cough, is a highly contagious illness affecting the respiratory tract in dogs. Several different types of bacteria and viruses can contribute to CIRDC. Across the nation, a type of CIRDC that has been labeled, “the Mystery Respiratory Illness in Dogs”, has been on the rise. Symptoms of this CIRDC include a persistent cough, lethargy, poor appetite, weakness, runny eyes and nose, and difficulty breathing. Some affected dogs experience a longer and more severe disease course than is typical for CIRDC.

As of early December, instances of this more severe CIRDC illness have been reported in 14 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, Maryland, Vermont, and Washington. The exact number remains unknown as uniform data from state to state is lacking.

Dogs with this illness usually have some constellation of symptoms like coughing, sneezing, fatigue, and they do not test positive for common causes of canine respiratory illness. Humans should not panic if their dog exhibits symptoms but remain vigilant about the dog’s health and contact the veterinarian if they have concerns. Signs that warrant a phone call include a lingering cough, weakness, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, worsening of illness, and a cough that is severe enough that it causes the dog to vomit or makes it hard for the animal to breathe. It is especially important to see a veterinarian if the symptomatic dog is old, very young, brachycephalic (short nosed or flat faced), immunocompromised, pregnant, or has underlying heart or respiratory disease.

According to Dr. Andi Winney at Ashley Pines Animal Hospital in Summerville, SC, "Fortunately, we have not seen much coughing in this area as of now. The veterinary community is not panicking. We commonly see bouts of respiratory infections that circulate especially in times of significant human travel like the holidays. Do your best to avoid high dog volume areas and keep your pets up to date on available vaccines. Give us a call if you're concerned about your pet. With careful monitoring and a quick response to clinical signs, good outcomes can be expected in the majority of cases."

Veterinary researchers are currently attempting to pinpoint why there has been an uptick in these CIRDC cases. One hypothesis is that more dogs have lower levels of resistance due to changes in how dogs have been cared for over the past several years. During the COVID epidemic, dog ownership increased, veterinary care was disrupted, and canine vaccinations may have dropped. Dogs, like people, socialized less, people worked from home, doggy daycare wasn’t needed, and associated vaccinations such as Bordetella and Canine Parainfluenza, fell off. Significant research continues in order to pinpoint the agents causing this CIRDC.

To minimize infection, it is important to keep your dog’s vaccines updated. If you suspect your dog is ill, contact your veterinarian. In addition, it is important to contact any training, daycare, or kennel facility your dog has recently visited, to alert the staff to the possibility of infection. Keep your dog separated from other dogs to prevent the spread of this illness.

SOURCES:

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/canine-infectious-respiratory-disease-complex-kennel-cough

https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2023/11/unh-researchers-provide-major-clue-mysterious-dog-illness-case

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/animal-health-diagnostic-center/news/canine-respiratory-disease-advisory-0