Today on the blog we have a special guest, veterinarian Dr. Alyssa Lee! If you stay up to date with news in the dog world, then you’ve probably heard of the mysterious respiratory illness that’s been popping up around the country. It’s easy to get caught up in Instagram posts and news articles and wonder whether you should keep your dog home from boarding and group classes. So we’ve asked Dr. Lee to share some insight with us and help dispel fears!

Let's talk kennel cough!

Everyone with dogs is freaking out about this now that it hit the news! I've had so many people reach out to me with questions. First things first, this has been around for about 6+ months, THIS IS NOT NEW. That doesn't mean this isn't a concern though!

Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) is an umbrella term for respiratory diseases we see in our companion canine species. There are multiple bacteria and viruses that can make up this complex, but the biggest problem is secondary pneumonia we're currently seeing. Secondary pneumonia becomes a threat and, at its worst, it can result in expensive hospitalization, respiratory distress, and even death from sepsis.

Clinical signs of kennel cough are nasal discharge (clear or opaque), sneezing, terminal hack with or without phlegm, dry deep cough, lethargy, hyporexia to anorexia, and occasionally vomiting.

What I'm looking for when giving a physical exam and reviewing history: an inducible cough, elevated respiratory rate or effort, harsh lung sounds on auscultation, dehydration, and fever. Also I take into consideration whether or not your dog is eating. If your dog isn't eating, they can't take oral meds.

The best way to prevent exposure is to avoid nose-to-nose contact with any and all unknown dogs. Of the dogs I’ve cared for who have developed secondary pneumonia, 95% of them have been dogs who attend doggie daycare. Just say no to dog parks, daycare, nose-to-nose greetings with unknown dogs, etc.

When in doubt, take your dog in to see your vet and DO THE CHEST X-RAYS. I have caught secondary pneumonia on many, many patients that clinically didn't indicate so. Pneumonia will mean using a bigger-gun antibiotic, so this diagnostic is critical to tailoring antibiotic therapy!

Do you have pet insurance or a large savings account? If not, take care of that now, before something happens! A good amount of my patients with secondary pneumonia have needed hospitalization on IV fluids, IV antibiotics +/- oxygen therapy. This usually runs 4-6k easy! 

Make preparations to provide the necessary care for your dog should the worst happen, and take steps to ensure you never need to make good on those preparations.

So what does this mean for KeenDog clients? We ALWAYS discourage nose-to-nose greetings with unknown dogs, dog parks, and daycare. Boarding, especially around the holidays, is always our biggest concern when it comes to respiratory illnesses. We are careful to clean and sanitize crates, food/water bowls, toys, shared spaces, etc., to ensure the health of all dogs that board with us. We ask that if your dog is showing any signs of illness, you cancel your boarding stay and keep your dog home with you. Not only will this protect all of the other dogs in our community, but dogs should be with their loved ones if they are unwell. We will notify clients if any dogs in our care become symptomatic and, of course, we will always offer to take dogs immediately to one of our preferred vets or the client’s vet should a dog need care.

Dr. Alyssa Lee graduated from Kansas State University's Veterinary School in 2022. She is very passionate about fear free approaches to veterinary medicine and canine behavior as well as quality, research-based emergency medicine.

Initially from California, she moved out to Colorado after school for all the outdoor adventures and opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals. She has four working dogs: two border collies, one Malinois, and a field line golden. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, obedience dog training, competing in dock diving and disc dog sports, and traveling with her pack.

If you follow our trainers on instagram, you may recognize Dr. Lee and her dogs from their frequent adventures with our Colorado-based office manager, Emily Harris.