To Our Loyal Clients,
The Doctors and health care professionals at Mclean Animal Hospital want to update our canine families about the new upper respiratory infection that has been reported.
The main sign of infection is a cough, sometimes accompanied by sneezing, eye or nose discharge, lethargy, fever or inappetence. Most patients experience mild to moderate symptoms while some patients can rapidly progress to a severe and potentially fatal pneumonia. We have not had any confirmed severe cases come to our hospital. There is currently no positive identification of the underlying cause of these new symptoms. As information comes to us we will keep you informed.
Knowing what we do now, here are the recommendations from our doctors:
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Ensure your pet is up to date on their vaccines.
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Keep in mind respiratory diseases spread through direct contact or through water droplets from sneezing and coughing. Our fellow veterinary colleagues recommend taking the following precautions:
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– Avoid high risk situations for your dog such as boarding kennels, dog parks, and doggy day care facilities if you are unsure about the health status of other dogs in the environment.
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– Don’t share dog bowls, toys or doggy chews between dogs. Make sure your dog is up to date on their routine yearly vaccinations. You can check with your veterinarian if you are unsure when your dog was last routinely vaccinated.
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This disease appears contagious, meaning that boarding, doggy daycare, and grooming may pose a higher risk for infection. Take this into consideration as you make daycare or boarding plans over the holiday season and to lower your pet’s risk, consider alternate options.
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With any vaccine, immunity takes time to build after a booster, so please plan your pet’s vaccinations well ahead of any scheduled holiday boarding. While we don’t know if Bordetella or Influenza are playing a role in the current disease outbreak, our goal with vaccination is to minimize all canine respiratory infections through the winter months.
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If you are concerned that your dog may be exhibiting any signs of respiratory disease, we recommend isolating your dog from other dogs and please contact us for an appointment.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Happy Holidays,
McLean Animal Hospital
703-356-5000