aCIRD

What to Know and How to Protect Your Dogs from Atypical Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease (aCIRD)

As you may have heard, there have been reports of a new respiratory disease affecting dogs over the past few weeks in Oregon, Colorado, California, and other states.

At Vistanica Animal Hospital, we are watching this situation and will continue to release information as we learn more.

For now, continue reading for important things to know as a pet owner, including what to do to reduce your pet’s risk.

What is causing the outbreaks?

This respiratory disease is being called Atypical Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease (aCIRD). A diagnosis requires the following:

Testing negative for known respiratory diseases on lab (Polymerase Chain Reaction or PCR) tests.
Respiratory disease with a prolonged duration (6-8 weeks) that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.
Chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.
Acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and leads to death within 24-36 hours.

Testing done at the University of New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory has determined that the cause is possibly a bacterium. Scientists are still trying to isolate a specific bacterium, and tests are ongoing.

What to do to reduce risk:

Isolate sick dogs at home for 28 days after the first onset of illness.
Quarantine exposed dogs at home for 14 days to monitor them for clinical signs.
Utilize a disinfectant that is effective against viruses and other harder-to-kill pathogens, such as freshly formulated bleach or accelerated hydrogen peroxide products. Ensure surfaces are clean before use. Always read disinfectant labels and follow instructions closely. Disinfect thoroughly and frequently.
If possible, keep your dog home, away from daycare, boarding kennels, grooming facilities, and dog parks, if your dog is ill for any reason.
Report cases to your veterinarian.

Human/Pet Owner concerns:

So far during these outbreaks, there are no reports of similar illness in other animal species or in humans.

Owners are strongly urged to keep their dogs' vaccines updated. While the existing vaccines may not specifically target this unknown infection, maintaining overall health through routine vaccinations can help support a dog’s immune system in combating various infections.
Optimal protection against common respiratory infections includes the annual intranasal vaccine for Bordetella, Adenovirus type 2, and parainfluenza vaccine, combined with the injectable influenza H3N2 vaccine. Avoid bringing a dog into the community until two weeks after the last dose of a vaccine and immunity has developed.
Owners should monitor their dogs closely for progressive coughing that may be accompanied by signs of ocular or nasal discharges and sneezing. Please consult your veterinarian immediately if those clinical signs develop, particularly if your dog concurrently loses its appetite, has trouble breathing, is coughing continually, or is extremely lethargic.

This information may continue to change as we learn more. We will update you as we get information. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment.