CIRDC dog disease: The kennel cough outbreak in Florida explained – USA TODAY

Corrections and clarifications: This story has been updated to reflect onsite adoption events of healthy dogs with Miami-Dade County Animal Services continued after the suspension of other services.
With COVID-19 still on the mind of many Americans, there’s another virus spreading around South Florida affecting a different segment of the population: dogs. 
Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex, also known as “kennel cough” or “canine cough,” is caused by a group of viruses and bacteria, including the flu, that affects the respiratory tract of dogs. It can also be easily spread, whether dogs live in a home or are awaiting adoption. 
While the recent outbreak has been limited to South Florida, the illness can be found throughout the country at any given time, according to José Arce, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
“We’ll see a case here and there, but then there are times where outbreaks will occur in different areas of the country at different moments,” Arce told USA TODAY.
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Similar to how COVID-19 spreads, CIRDC spreads whenever dogs are in close contact, such as at a dog park, a play date, groomer and shelters. Arce said another way the virus could spread is if a dog plays with a toy and then a different dog uses the same toy.
Maria Serrano, chief veterinarian at the Miami-Dade County Animal Services, said the outbreak in South Florida likely came from a dog that entered a shelter. 
“Respiratory diseases that are transmitted through aerosolized droplets are just very, very contagious,” Serrano said. 
The disease does not affect humans. 
Common symptoms include coughing and sneezing, as well as discharge coming from the nose. As the disease develops, dogs may have difficulty breathing and may have secretions coming out of their nose and eyes, Arce said. 
Symptoms usually appear around five days after exposure, and mild cases usually last up to 10 days. Dogs could be tested by veterinarians to see if they have the disease. 
Some dogs may not show any symptoms, but they could still carry and spread the disease. 
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Most cases of CIRDC are mild, but the disease can worsen and dogs can develop pneumonia if left unattended. Puppies, older dogs or immunocompromised dogs are the most susceptible to the virus and worsening symptoms.
“Not attended, it can even be the cause of death,” Arce said. 
Dogs with worsening symptoms can be hospitalized and treated with anti-viral medicine. 
In March, Miami-Dade County health officials noticed there was an increased amount of dogs infected with CIRDC. Ultimately, animal services decided on March 23 to indefinitely suspend offsite adoption events and wellness clinics performing spay and neuter surgeries, microchipping and vaccinations. Onsite adoptions of healthy dogs continued. 
Serrano said a quick response to the disease helped contain it.
“So far, it’s going pretty well. The cases are already kind of decreasing. We’re still separating the populations and making sure we leave the dogs at least 10 days in isolation to make sure that we have less risks of transmission to other dogs,” Serrano said. “I think we acted very promptly.”
Even though cases are decreasing, the news of the outbreak could cause fear in dog owners in nearby cities and states.
However, Arce said dog owners shouldn’t be worried. The disease has been around for nearly five decades, and it’s around throughout the year. It’s only when health officials say there’s an outbreak of the virus in a certain area that dog owners should take caution. 
“Unless the outbreak is in an area where I commonly would take my dog for a walk or to a park or something, I wouldn’t be highly concerned. This is something that’s always around,” he said. “You will hear from the public health officials in your area.
“When it’s really severe, you will see articles everywhere,” Arce said.
Serrano and Arce said owners should make sure their dogs are up to date on theirvaccines. There isn’t a vaccine dedicated to preventing illness from CIRDC as it is “not a vaccine-preventable condition,” according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.
However, Serrano said vaccines can partially protect respiratory systems while also strengthening immune systems. 
Still, she recommends if there is an outbreak, restrain dogs from having “nose-to-nose” contact with each other. 
Arce said there really isn’t much of a peak season of the disease, but the summer months when there are more dogs outside could be a period when the disease can easily spread. But as long as the dog is in good health, there shouldn’t be much worry. Most cases are mild and self-limiting.
“I would just be made sure that my dog’s vaccinations are up to date. That’s the key,” Arce said.
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

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