Prevalence of canine infectious respiratory pathogens in asymptomatic dogs presented at US animal shelters

Abstract

OBJECTIVESTo determine the prevalence of nine canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD) pathogens in asymptomatic dogs presented at animal shelters across the United States.METHODSOcular and oronasal swabs from asymptomatic dogs (n = 503) were tested using qPCR assay for Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV‐2), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine herpesvirus type 1 (CHV), canine influenza virus (CIV), canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV), canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV), Mycoplasma cynos and Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus.RESULTSA total of 240 (47 · 7%) asymptomatic dogs were PCR‐positive for at least one CIRD pathogen. Prevalence of two‐, three‐, four‐, and five‐pathogen cases was 12 · 7, 3 · 8, 1 · 8, and 0 · 4%, respectively. Mycoplasma cynos (29 · 2%), B. bronchiseptica (19 · 5%), CAV‐2 (12 · 5%), CDV (7 · 4%) and CPIV (3 · 2%) were the most commonly detected pathogens.CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCEThe prevalence of traditional and newly emerging pathogens associated with CIRD is poorly defined in clinically healthy dogs. This study determined that a high percentage of asymptomatic shelter dogs harbor CIRD pathogens, including the newly emerging pathogen M. cynos and the historically prevalent pathogen B. bronchiseptica.