Dear Aspen Animal Wellness Friends and Family, 

As the holiday season approaches, we hope this message finds you well. We wanted to bring your attention to an important health advisory concerning an infectious respiratory disease in dogs.  

Veterinarians and animal shelters in several parts of the country, including Oregon and Colorado, have reported an uptick in cases of respiratory illness in dogs. Unlike a typical “kennel cough” that resolves in 7-10 days, this illness results in a long-term cough and, potentially, pneumonia. These cases may or may not be responsive to antibiotics and can become very serious.  

As of now, the cause of this illness has not been identified. On November 17, 2023, the American Veterinary Medical Association posted an alert concerning the disease, https://www.avma.org/news/oregon-dealing-respiratory-illness-incidents-dogs. 

In light of this information, if your pet develops a persistent cough, lethargy or decreased appetite, please schedule an exam as soon as possible so we can evaluate him or her. If your pet is scheduled for grooming or surgery and develops any of these symptoms, please notify us as soon as possible to have your pet examined and grooming or the procedure rescheduled. 

Please be sure your dogs are current on their vaccinations, including bordetella and canine influenza.   While the existing vaccines may not specifically target the unknown infection, maintaining overall health through routine vaccinations can help support a dog’s immune system in combating various infections.  Avoid bringing a dog into the community until two weeks after the last dose of a vaccine and immunity has developed. 

We are happy to report that, after an extended nationwide shortage, we currently have the canine influenza vaccine.  

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 775-331-8865 or hello@aspenanimalwellness.com.  Appointments can also be requested through our website.   

Wishing you and your four-legged family members a healthy and Happy Thanksgiving! 

Sincerely,  
The Aspen Animal Wellness Team