Unknown infectious canine respiratory disease | Local veterinarian tells pet owners what symptoms to look for

WENATCHEE — With reports of a mysterious canine respiratory disease sweeping across parts of the United States, veterinarian Collin Bonnett of Cascade Veterinary Clinics wants to let locals know what to look out for.

“This seems to be a complex, what’s called canine infectious respiratory disease. Kennel cough for example is one version of this. Sneezing, sometimes ocular discharge, squinting. Things like that,” says Bonnett.

Cases of the new disease have been confirmed nationwide and are slowly gaining proximity to Washington. In August, the Oregon Department of Agriculture began receiving word of an unknown respiratory disease infecting dogs.

A recent press release from the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association says that there have now been over 200 cases reported to the ODA. Dogs allegedly begin experiencing respiratory issues similar to kennel cough, but do not respond to standard antibiotic treatment. This develops into a form of chronic pneumonia-like symptoms that can result in poor outcomes in just 24 to 36 hours.

As of two weeks ago, no cases of this new disease have been reported to the Washington State Department of Agriculture. However, pet owners should still be on the lookout.

“Generally, these dogs are lethargic and off of their food. They don’t want to perform; go for a normal walk or run that they would do, but certainly the coughing, sneezing, hacking thing would be the principle, clinical signs owners should be looking for,” says Bonnett.

WSDA is urging pet owners to take proper precautions by keeping pet vaccinations up to date and avoiding areas with other dogs.

“If a dog is displaying any clinical signs of coughing, sneezing or inappetence, those kinds of things, it would be responsible for them to not take them to boarding facilities, playgrounds, dog parks, family visits and things like that,” says Bonnett.

Bonnet also stressed that if pets do start displaying respiratory symptoms that they are seen by a veterinarian and isolated from other pets.

Veterinarians who encounter a potential case of this new respiratory disease should contact Washington State RVC Coordinator Minden Buswell with the WSDA.