Current Outbreak

(Updated 9/18/2023)

As many of you are aware, Fargo-Moorhead has been experiencing an ongoing, severe outbreak with Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex this summer. This is common every summer when increased numbers of dogs are boarding as families go to the lake and go on vacations. Normally, outbreaks are viral in nature and run their course over 1-2 weeks , similar to the common cold in people.

Vaccination against Canine Parainfluenza and Canine Adenovirus are included in the DA2P vaccine or “Distemper” vaccine. Bordatella vaccine (“Kennel cough”) is separately vaccinated for annually. Dogs that are vaccinated will often have milder cases than those unvaccinated. Pneumonia and Sinus infections can occur, but normally, not very often.

This year, we are seeing an increased infectious rate. Not only are dogs that have been to boarding/daycare/grooming/dog park contracting it, but also dogs that are homebodies and don’t go to these types of areas. We are also seeing increased pneumonia and sinusitis rates, many of them being poor responders to treatment. Time from exposure until dogs break with illness is ranging from days to as much as 1 month.

Fargo-Moorhead is not alone in this respiratory outbreak. Similar outbreaks are occurring in multiple states across the country.

At this time, people are not at risk and cats are not at risk as it appears to be limited to dogs.
To help protect your pet, make sure they are current on their vaccines. Keep your dog at a healthy body weight to minimize chronic inflammation in their body. If you are looking to support their immune system, give them 1 adult vitamin c tab daily (no artificial sweeteners) and give 1 dose of Forti Flora probiotic (currently shown to shorten course of respiratory infections.) Minimize trips to
daycare/boarding if possible, especially if your dog has pre-existing conditions. If your dog has any
coughing, sneezing, or nasal discharge, keep them home and keep them away from other dogs! Only make trips to veterinary centers for medical care if your dog is sick. Dogs need to be cough free for 2 weeks before being allowed around other dogs.

To help protect your dogs at our facility, we have converted our isolation ward into a respiratory exam room for all cases involving dogs with coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge , or fever, including respiratory rechecks. This room has a direct entrance from the south side of the building so patients do not enter the rest of the building. If your dog is being seen in this room, wait in your vehicle in the south parking lot after checking in via phone until a staff member brings you to the door. Staff members will be in isolation attire so no infectious agents are spread through the clinic. The entire room is sanitized with a sanitizing mister between patients to cover all surfaces.

The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at NDSU is currently doing a bundled test screening for all
respiratory viruses and bacteria that have testing capabilities at a significant savings versus running tests individually to streamline the testing process and make it more affordable. The goal is to test enough dogs early in the course of illness before the virus is gone and before they are on antibiotics to increase odds of identifying the cause. This will entail swabs of your dogs’ conjunctiva, nasal passages, and back of their throat.

To additionally minimize any chance of spread to dogs entering the hospital, we are having clients for all other appointments wait in their vehicle until an exam room is ready. Please park in a curbside spot and call 701-532-1584 to check in when you arrive instead of coming into the lobby. Reception team members will ask several screening questions about your dog. A team member will bring you and your pet directly to the exam room as soon as one is available. This will prevent dogs that may be contagious, but not yet showing signs from having contact with other dogs in the clinic. Our doors will be locked so no one inadvertently brings their dog in before a room is ready.

We will post updates to our Facebook page as new information is available.

We appreciate all clients being aware of this outbreak and your cooperation in taking steps to help prevent illness in dogs in our Fargo-Moorhead community.