10/14/2026
🐾 A LITTLE REMINDER ABOUT THE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS CURRENTLY AFFECTING DOGS
We’ve seen several cases of dogs presenting with coughing and other respiratory symptoms recently, and we want to take a moment to educate our veterinary families about what’s going around and, just as importantly, what we’re doing to help protect our patients.
Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC), commonly referred to as kennel cough, is a highly contagious respiratory illness. It can be caused by several different viruses and bacteria, and it spreads easily between dogs through coughing, sneezing, close contact, and contaminated surfaces or objects.
What should you watch for?
• Persistent or hacking cough
• Gagging or retching, sometimes mistaken for vomiting
• Sneezing
• Runny nose or eye discharge
• Decreased appetite
• Lethargy or low energy
• Fever
While many dogs experience mild symptoms, some can develop more serious respiratory complications, including pneumonia. Puppies, senior dogs, and dogs with underlying health conditions may be especially vulnerable.
So, what are WE doing to help prevent the spread in our clinic?
We want our clients to understand that infection control is something we take very seriously. When we know or suspect a patient has respiratory symptoms, we take additional precautions to limit exposure to other patients.
These precautions include:
🐾 Asking coughing patients to remain in their vehicles until we are ready to bring them directly into an appropriate area.
🐾 Using designated entrances and exits, including our back entrance when necessary, to minimize contact with other patients.
🐾 Thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting exam rooms, surfaces, equipment, and commonly touched areas using appropriate veterinary disinfectants.
🐾 Taking additional steps to separate symptomatic patients from other animals whenever possible.
These measures aren’t meant to inconvenience anyone. They are intentional precautions to help protect your pets, our staff, and every other patient who walks through our doors.
What can you do as a pet owner?
• Please call ahead if your dog has developed a cough, sneezing, or other respiratory symptoms before bringing them into the clinic.
• Avoid dog parks, daycare, boarding facilities, grooming appointments, and other places where dogs congregate while your pet is sick.
• Keep your dog away from other dogs if they are showing symptoms.
• Keep recommended vaccinations current. Vaccines can help reduce the risk and severity of certain respiratory infections, although they don’t protect against every cause.
• Contact your veterinarian if your dog develops symptoms. Difficulty breathing, significant lethargy, or loss of appetite warrant prompt veterinary attention.
And one last thing: PLEASE BE KIND.
We understand that being asked to wait in your vehicle, use a different entrance, or follow additional instructions can be frustrating. We really do.
But these protocols aren’t being put in place to make anyone’s day more difficult. They are being put in place because we have a responsibility to protect ALL of the animals in our care.
The puppy coming in for vaccines, the senior dog coming in for a checkup, the immunocompromised patient, and the dog sitting in the next exam room all deserve that same consideration.
We cannot prevent every exposure or guarantee that every patient will leave without having encountered an infectious illness. But we can take precautions, follow proper infection control procedures, and do our part to minimize the risk.
We appreciate your patience, cooperation, and understanding as we navigate this together. ❤️
Thank you for trusting us with your furry family members!
Northside Holton & Giles Rd Veterinary Clinic 🐾
