Hi there!
I’m Keegan, a dog walker in north Park Slope.
I first heard about the “mysterious canine respiratory disease” a few weeks ago. I was in Tennessee visiting family—and of course our beloved 14-year-old rescue shih tzu, Tallulah. Like other breeds with short, flat faces, shih tzus are vulnerable to respiratory issues later in life. At her ripe old age, Tallulah is a sitting duck.
Before I was back in New York, stories about dogs getting seriously ill and even dying were spreading fast on social media and in the news.
I looked into the new disease, and after talking to vets and reading about the outbreak, it’s become clear that the scariest headlines aren’t repeating what most experts are actually saying.
What’s going on?
Ordinarily, kennel cough (vets call it CIRDC) isn’t very serious. It’s a respiratory ailment caused by different combinations of bacteria and viruses that are always going around, like the flu or the common cold. While a small percentage of kennel cough cases become serious, most clear up with rest, hydration, and sometimes antibiotics.
Right now, people are worried because dogs in at least fifteen states have contracted unusually serious cases of kennel cough. Cornell’s Canine Health Center published a report saying “Affected dogs experience a longer and more severe disease course than is typical.”
Is there a new pathogen?
I’ve learned that experts think the spike could be caused by one of two drivers. Either a new bug is spreading through the canine population or changes in dogs’ daily lives and medical care are adding up to have significant effects.
Some researchers (and many people online) think a newly mutated pathogen is driving the outbreak. Last month, scientists in New Hampshire found some evidence of a bacteria that hadn’t been documented before, but there is little reason to believe that bug is driving the outbreak. Labs in Colorado and Oregon are also hunting for new viruses and bacteria.
There are good reasons to doubt that any one particular pathogen is driving the outbreak. In fact, there’s reason to doubt if we’re seeing an outbreak at all.
It’s likely a simpler answer
It’s probably changes in pet owner behavior since the pandemic — not a new disease — that’s driving the increase in cases of severe kennel cough.
Dr. Scott Weese is a veterinary pathobiologist at the University of Guelph who tracks infectious diseases in dogs. According to his data, the “spike” in cases of serious kennel cough has actually been a slight increase. Weese thinks this increase is best explained by changes in how owners are caring for their dogs.
”We’ve got more dogs that have a lower level of resistance because they’ve been exposed to other dogs less over the last couple of years, and they’ve had less vaccinations,” he said in a recent webinar.
Many “pandemic pups” haven’t spent as much time socializing. Additionally, the pandemic caused a major disruption to routine veterinary care, and work-from-home policies kept many dogs out of doggy daycare facilities, which require vaccines against common bugs like bordetella and canine parainfluenza.
Weese also believes recent media coverage has likely encouraged some owners to take their dogs to the vet for symptoms they might not have considered serious otherwise, contributing to the rise in documented cases.
Keeping your dog safe
No matter what’s causing these severe cases of kennel cough, I want to take measures to protect the dogs I walk. My friend Hannah Durick, a veterinarian in New York, says this outbreak underscores the importance of basic infection prevention.
“Make sure your dogs are getting vaccinated,” she told me. “Make sure you're not letting puppies socialize or putting them in kennels until they have completely finished their vaccines.”
The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends an annual intranasal vaccine against Bordetella, a canine adenovirus type 2 vaccine, and canine parainfluenza vaccine.
With canine illness circulating, it’s also important to keep in mind common sense measures to make sure your dog isn't needlessly exposed to viruses or bacteria that could make them sick — especially if they’re high risk, like Tallulah.
Keep your pet away from any dogs that show symptoms of kennel cough, like coughing, runny nose, or lethargy.
Avoid communal water bowls and shared toys.
If you’re traveling for the holidays, consider alternatives to boarding facilities, where “kennel cough” gets its name.
Most importantly: don’t panic. While scare stories have spread quickly through social media, experts think case numbers are already returning to normal.
And by the way, Tallulah is still thriving!
About City Pooch
Thanks for reading the first issue of City Pooch!
I decided to start this newsletter after years of having conversations with clients who had questions about taking care of their dog. As a dog walker, I end up learning from all kinds of experts who study and work with dogs. I wanted to make it easier for the pet owners and dog lovers of Brooklyn to get high-quality information to keep their pups happy and healthy.
The plan was to get started in early 2024, but the respiratory illness seemed to pose such a threat to dogs that I wanted to go ahead and start spreading the word. When I started looking more closely, I realized the media frenzy was at odds with what the experts were actually saying. That resulted in this issue being more complicated (and more serious) than what I’m planning for the future.
I’d be grateful for any feedback on this issue or on City Pooch in general.
If you liked it, please forward to anyone who might be interested. They can subscribe here. And most importantly, please let me know if you have any questions you’d like me to address in future issues!