The findings from 1,447 interviews across Europe highlight the important role veterinary surgeons play in educating and increasing awareness amongst dog owners to fully understand the risks associated with CIRD.
“The risks of respiratory infection are real, however sometimes there’s a perception that ‘it’s just a cough’,” says Dr Eileen Ball, Global Veterinary Medical Lead for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases with Zoetis, who commissioned the research. “Respiratory infections can be severe and potentially even life threatening.”
Dr Ball says canine infectious respiratory disease is a potential risk for all dogs – not just those that are being boarded in kennels – and certain groups of dogs such as puppies, elderly dogs or those with a weakened immune system may have a heightened risk of contracting disease.
Dogs that spend a lot of time in areas where there is a high density of other dogs – such as dog parks, with a dog walker that walks several dogs at a time or dogs at grooming and day care centres are considered to have a higher risk of infection, and “short-nosed, flat-faced dogs with brachycephalic anatomies such as Pugs, Shih Tzus, Chihuahuas and English Toy Spaniels may have more profound clinical signs of disease when infected,” she says.
Drinking water from dog bowls in public places that are shared with other dogs, or regularly using common areas such as elevators or lifts in residential buildings are another potential source of infection that can easily be overlooked during a lifestyle discussion.
“It’s important for veterinary surgeons to think about risk in terms of the big picture and consider as many aspects as possible when discussing CIRD prevention with dog owners.”
