News

A Respiratory Illness in Dogs

If you’re a dog lover, you may have heard different news stories referencing a respiratory disease affecting dogs in different states including Oregon. Urban wanted to weigh in.

WHAT IS KNOWN (at this time)

1. The causative agent is unknown, but is likely viral in nature, and may be a complex of more than one organism.
2. In general, there are several known bacterial and viral organisms that can cause respiratory disease in dogs. Often illness is caused by multiple organisms working together.
3. The number of cases currently reported represents a very small percentage of the dog population, AND the majority of those have not developed serious illness.
4. In general, respiratory disease tends to spread most rapidly in confined communal settings – boarding facilities, day care, and shelters – rather than outdoors.

SYMPTOMS

• Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nasal and/or eye discharge, and lethargy. If your dog shows these symptoms, we recommend seeing your veterinarian.
• Cases are treated according to a dog’s symptoms and severity of symptoms. Most dogs, especially those vaccinated against common respiratory diseases, experience mild illness.

WHAT CAN I DO?

First, we suggest caution rather than worry. Currently there are no reported illnesses in the Puget Sound region. While the situation remains dynamic, here are a few general recommendations:

• Make sure your dog is up-to-date on their vaccines including Bordetella, parainfluenza, and, in some cases, canine influenza.
• In this area, many dogs are not routinely vaccinated for canine influenza, and this has not been linked as a causative agent of this illness; however, vaccinating for canine influenza as a precaution may be a reasonable action step.
• When possible, reduce contact with large numbers of dogs, especially indoor activities.
• Keep symptomatic dogs at home unless seeking veterinary care.
• Avoid communal water bowls shared by multiple dogs.

DO I BOARD MY DOG?

It’s a busy travel season and likely an increased chance you are needing to board your dog. With the wide range of potential risks and outcomes with respiratory disease, there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation. Working with a veterinarian is the best way to ensure you have the appropriate information to make an informed decision for your dog. In general, we recommend taking your dog’s age, health, and vaccination status into account when making these decisions.

Resources to check for latest news are the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association News or if the situation changes in our state, Washington State Veterinary Medical Association. If you want more guidance regarding your specific dog, call or visit one of Urban’s walk-in locations (Capitol Hill and White Center) or make an appointment at our Downtown location.

Deeper Dive with Kim Shepard | The Launch of Urban Animal’s Veterinary Cooperative

Urban’s founder, Dr. Cherri Trusheim is set to disrupt the veterinary industry by doing something different – building a worker cooperative. In lieu of corporate and private equity influence, Urban Animal is transitioning into employee ownership, in a model popular in Europe and focused on governance and giving workers a voice. Urban Animal is poised to be the largest veterinary cooperative in the U.S.

Listen to the segment using the player below.

Washington State Veterinary Medical Association

Urban Animal and Doney Coe Pet Clinic have appreciated a collaborative partnership since 2021 with a similar mission in mind – providing access to veterinary care. As part of the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference in Tacoma, veterinarians and veterinary staff were honored at WSVMA’s award ceremonies on September 23. Dr. Blair de Vries, Washington State Veterinary Medical Association President, served as the MC and Doney Coe received the WSVMA Humane Animal Welfare Award.

Stan Coe, DVM and numerous volunteers (including Urban Animal’s team) of the Doney Coe Pet Clinic were on hand to receive this recognition for the long-time, compassionate veterinary care they provide to pets of unhoused and low-income families in the Seattle area.

READ THE ARTICLE

Let’s Talk About Affordability

In 2012, Urban Animal was founded on smart and sensible veterinary care with a mission to provide affordable care for all dogs and cats in our community. The change the veterinary industry has undergone over the last several years has drastically affected costs and how medicine is practiced in the industry at-large. Many practices are now owned by large corporations and private equity groups. At the same time, there’s an existing crisis of an increasing number of veterinary professionals leaving the industry.

In the past few years, Urban Animal has developed a partnership with Doney Coe Pet Clinic who provides care to pets in our community whose owners are unhoused and without resources. However, we know this is only one solution addressing the situation. We continue to face how to collectively close the gap between those pets with nothing and those pets with modest means. Urban Animal is working to find a creative solution for keeping our care affordable.

We’d like to introduce the Affordable Care Together (ACT) Initiative to help keep costs affordable for all. For Urban Animal, the ACT Initiative is an opportunity for you to contribute to our pursuit in keeping veterinary care affordable. Not just for you, but for everyone within our community. The ACT Initiative is an additional 15% calculated based of a total invoice amount for services and products. Although this Initiative is optional, it is our hope those who can, will keep it on their invoices to help others. Urban Animal is confident this additional amount will still provide care comparably priced or less than other area practices.

It would be easier to broadly apply significant price increases to our services and move on. However, our prices are intentionally at a point to help as many dogs and cats as possible and we purposely do not upsell our services to satisfy shareholders. Urban Animal’s veterinary professionals employ candid, unbiased guidance with option-based medicine to each client. It is our belief this approach supports a culture of affordability for our community.

So, the ACT Initiative can be removed? Absolutely – as we said, this is an optional addition and Urban Animal is not introducing it to create discourse, dissatisfaction, or shame. If you have the means to keep it on your invoice, please do so. If you don’t – now or in the foreseeable future – kindly ask a staff member to remove it. It’s that simple.

THE ACT INITIATIVE LAUNCHES ON MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2023.

Urban Animal is about keeping veterinary care affordable and ensuring dogs and cats of all means can be helped. We’re ready and we’re hoping you’re ready too, and able to ACT with us.