Cases of canine respiratory disease in Colorado have significantly dropped since the last few months of 2023, according to Colorado State University and Trupanion, a pet insurance provider.

“It is good news to see that the number of cases of canine respiratory disease continues to decline, as we typically see with respiratory disease cycles,” state veterinarian Maggie Baldwin said. “However, it’s important to continue to manage animal vaccines and lifestyles appropriately.”

“We encourage pet owners to discuss with their veterinarians the best practices for each animal, especially dogs in high social situations, those who have compromised immune systems, and older dogs as they are in the highest risk category for developing clinical disease,” she said. “Owners should talk with their veterinarian about continuing vaccinations for respiratory disease on a yearly basis.”

The number of sick dogs spiked in the last four months of 2023, and cases of dogs with prolonged coughs and severe cases of pneumonia more than doubled at Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Despite increasing testing efforts across the state in partnership with CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, scientists have not been able to identify a single causative agent for the respiratory outbreak.

Source: Colorado Department of Agriculture