I know it is a bit out of the ordinary for me to talk about non-IAABC related news, but the recent outbreak of canine upper respiratory disease here in the United States is a hot topic. I have had many clients and friends reach out to me for advice, and I am guessing that many of you have encountered the same. But how do you give advice when you are not a medical professional?  In my case, I have worked in the veterinary hospital setting for many years, so I may get more requests for advice than most. I can’t give medical recommendations, but I still feel that I can steer those folks seeking my help in the right direction. 

There are still many unknown details in this emerging situation. What we do know currently is that an unknown pathogen is affecting many dogs in the US. We are hearing reports of shelters and daycares struggling with controlling the spread of the disease. The state of Oregon has reported over 200 cases to the state’s Department of Agriculture. To date, we do not know the causative organism or the true number of animals affected. In fact, it will be extremely difficult to confirm if these cases are connected, as we do not know the pathogen causing the symptoms. We do know that we are seeing many cases of upper respiratory disease in dogs which present clinically similar to canine influenza and bordetella. 

The advice that is generally given to owners is to keep pets up to date on canine influenza, parainfluenza, and bordetella vaccines. It is also advisable to keep your pets separate from other dogs and not take them to large group gatherings. If your pet is showing any symptoms of disease, take them to your veterinarian immediately and keep them isolated from other dogs in the home and in your community. 

For our community, this potential outbreak is concerning, as many of us work in shelters, daycares, and/or run group classes, and this can affect our bottom line. Many of the solutions  we developed during the COVID 19 pandemic may be helpful here again. Holding group events outside, meeting clients via Zoom, and frequent disinfection of spaces and equipment are all easy steps to take. To be extra cautious,  those of us working group classes and events can consider switching to one on one sessions. Once again, behavior and training professionals are encountering a major challenge to conducting business and doing what is best for our clients. Ensuring that we continue to give the best guidance to our clients by educating them on the symptoms of illness and the importance of seeking immediate medical care when needed is the best we can do. 

Dot Baisly, Executive Director