Reports of suspected canine infectious respiratory disease pop up on occasion, including in British Columbia, northwest Washington and the Olympia area in recent weeks, and it’s often difficult to determine if outbreaks are really happening. In response to recent reported cases in Ontario and Alberta, Dr. Scott Weese has developed a tracking tool. “Getting good information is a challenge,” he says.
To try and get information about what’s going on, Weese has launched a brief survey that owners and veterinarians with affected dogs can complete. It asks a few basic questions, such as location, date of onset, whether the dog has been vaccinated and if a potential source is known. Weese says he understands the data will be biased but it’s not meant for research. It’s meant to identify changes and patterns such as disease rates and potential point sources that can be investigated further. Disclaimer: a cluster of cases can be a cluster of increased disease or a cluster of increased reporting.
He added in an updated blog that he’s not trying to get really accurate and specific information, but to simply try to spot trends and find things on which we can potentially act. The more data on hand, the greater chance of success in figuring things out.
If anyone has (or is treating) a dog with suspected upper respiratory tract infection, completing this short, anonymous survey may help figure out what’s going on. Anyone can participate regardless of location.
The survey can be accessed here.
Access the story on Dr. Weese’s Worms & Germs Blog.
Posted December 11, 2020