Increase in Coughing Dogs at Princeton Animal Hospital

 In the past two weeks Princeton Animal Hospital has seen a dramatic increase in coughing dogs after being exposed to other dogs in dog parks, pet stores, groomers, kennels, etc. Other symptoms that some dogs (but not all) have presented with are:

-Fever
-Coughing
-Pneumonia
-Lethargy
-Runny nose, with either clear or purulent discharge -Sneezing -Anorexia or poor appetite

The two most common diseases that these symptoms fit are Canine Influenza and Kennel Cough.

Fever and nasal discharge are more commonly seen with Influenza rather than Kennel Cough. At this time we suspect (although it is not proven) that the Princeton area is having a Canine Influenza outbreak.

Both these diseases are transmitted via airborne passage and are spread from dog to dog. They can travel up to 10-20 feet through the air. At this time there have been no reported cases of either of these diseases crossing species (meaning it is highly unlikely to be transmitted to people, cats, or other types of animals). The virus is easily killed on surfaces such as tables and floors with routine disinfecting. You can clean fabrics in a hot water cycle with detergent in the washing machine.

Canine Influenza is particularly dangerous in that it is a new virus and dogs do not have any underlying natural immunity. This means that any unvaccinated dog that comes in contact with it will contract the disease. Each individual pet will vary in how ill they will become.

Eighty percent will just come down with a bad cough, fever, maybe low grade pneumonia, and feel poorly for a few days. A smaller percentage will become sicker, and will require hospitalization with IV fluids for hydration and oxygen for pneumonia. However, 5% of all those dogs that contract Canine Influenza will develop such a bad pneumonia that they can die from the disease (similar to people and their flu viruses).

The incubation period is 2-4 days. Dogs can shed the virus in massive quantities 24 hours before they even develop symptoms. Thus, dogs that seem healthy but are shedding the virus are still going to dog parks and pet stores and infecting other healthy dogs. They stop shedding the virus around day 10. However, depending on the extent of pneumonia or lack of pneumonia, they can cough for 1-3 weeks.

There are vaccines for both Kennel Cough and Canine Influenza. Dogs can still acquire either of these diseases in spite of being vaccinated, but their symptoms are dramatically reduced and risk of pneumonia and severe illness is miniscule if he or she is vaccinated.

Again, this is very similar to humans receiving a flu shot each year.

If your pet is coughing, having trouble breathing, lethargic, not eating well, or seems hot to the touch, and has been recently exposed to other dogs, please call us. We will want to see your pet and give them a thorough physical. We may take chest X-rays to look for pneumonia if the doctor thinks it’s necessary.

Our hospital protocol during this time:

- No coughing dogs are allowed in the waiting room.

- Please call us from your car once you have arrived.

- A technician will meet you outside and escort you to a side door and into our “isolation room.”

- At this time we are not routinely testing specifically for Canine Influenza. This is similar to when swine flu hit the human population and doctors stopped testing specifically for swine flu and began presumptively treated anyone who had symptoms.

- We are strongly advising all pets that participate in “at risk”

activities (pets that frequently visit groomers, kennels, dog parks, doggie day care, training facilities, and pet stores) be vaccinated for not only Bordetella (Kennel Cough) but also Canine Influenza, even if your kennel or groomer doesn’t require it.

- We do not use Tamiflu in dogs with Influenza.

- We very often do prescribe an antibiotic to reduce secondary bacterial infections and pneumonia.

- We apologize for the inconvenience but we must decrease exposure to healthy pets coming in for routine care and vaccines. This is especially important for the young and old since they are at more risk for developing severe illness with Canine Influenza.

- If your pet is diagnosed with either Kennel Cough or Canine Influenza and are deemed infectious, please refrain from exposing other dogs to your pet.

Thank you,

Princeton Animal Hospital