Hypothesis
Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRD), commonly known as “kennel cough,” is a contagious illness that affects dogs’ respiratory systems. It’s usually caused by a mix of viruses and bacteria, such as Bordetella bronchiseptica, Mycoplasma species, canine parainfluenza virus, and canine influenza virus. Most dogs recover within 7–10 days with rest and basic care like cough suppressants. However, in 2022 and 2023, veterinarians across the U.S. noticed a troubling trend: more dogs were getting sick, and some cases were unusually severe or didn’t respond to normal treatments.
This raised several questions. Was there a new infectious agent causing these more serious cases? Could dogs have become more vulnerable because they were isolated or missed vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic? Or was the apparent increase simply due to more media attention? To answer these questions, researchers began investigating whether a previously unknown pathogen might be involved.
Research Approach
Dr. David Needle, a veterinary pathologist at the University of New Hampshire, led an effort to uncover what was really going on. He asked nearby veterinary clinics to send in swabs from the noses and throats of dogs showing signs of CIRD. Working with scientists at the university’s Hubbard Center for Genome Studies, Dr. Needle analyzed the genetic material from these samples (CHF Grant 03273: Characterizing Potential Novel CIRD Pathogen and CIRD Microbiome Perturbations).
What they found was surprising: the DNA didn’t match any known dog respiratory pathogens. Instead, it resembled a human respiratory bacterium. This suggested the presence of a new bacterium in the dog’s respiratory system—something that had never been identified before. Dr. Needle described it as a “small bacterium with a relatively small amount of genetic material,” and emphasized that it appears to be a new addition to the canine respiratory microbiome—the community of microorganisms that naturally live in a dog’s respiratory tract.
To continue this important work, Dr. Needle secured funding from the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a nonprofit that supports research to improve dog health. With over $300,000 in funding, his team is now studying the genetic makeup of this potential new pathogen and comparing the respiratory microbiomes of healthy dogs and those with CIRD. This includes identifying all viruses, bacteria, and fungi present in both groups.
Potential Impact
This research could significantly improve how veterinarians understand and treat respiratory illnesses in dogs. By identifying exactly how a dog’s respiratory system reacts to different infectious agents, scientists hope to develop better treatment strategies—ones that help dogs recover faster and more completely from CIRD.
Dr. Needle is optimistic about the future. He’s committed to finding and describing this new bacterium, not just for scientific curiosity, but because it could directly benefit pet owners and their dogs. As a dog owner himself, he understands the importance of improving clinical care and protecting pets from emerging health threats.
The AKC Canine Health Foundation continues to support this kind of cutting-edge research and provides helpful resources for dog owners. Stay tuned for CIRD research results and learn more about CHF’s work at www.akcchf.org.
