Introduction
Upper respiratory infections in dogs are most often diagnosed by the symptoms that are present. In some cases, additional tests may be conducted to rule out or confirm the cause of the symptoms.
Diagnosing URI in Dogs
When a dog comes into a veterinary clinic presenting symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, the veterinarian will perform a physical examination and ask about the dog’s history. Dogs that are unvaccinated against bordetella, have recently been boarded or in contact with other dogs, and dogs that have recently been adopted from shelters and pet shops, are all at an increased risk for developing upper respiratory infections. If the dog’s physical examination and history point towards an upper respiratory infection, then it can be assumed that the dog has this type of infection.
In some cases, additional tests may be prescribed in order to rule out additional causes of the symptoms or to see if the upper respiratory infection has progressed to include secondary bacterial infections. Blood tests are used to check for underlying medical conditions and infections, heartworm tests are used to rule out heartworm infections as a cause of coughing, and x-rays may be used to check the condition of the lungs and trachea. Lung flukes that cause upper respiratory infections are diagnosed through fecal tests, and canine nasal mites are diagnosed based upon the dog’s symptoms and a physical examination.
Extensive tests, such as branchoalveolar lavage, can be used to culture cells within the upper respiratory airways. These cultures can be used to check for specific types of bacteria or viruses. In most cases, these tests are only performed if a dog is experiencing upper respiratory infections that have remained unresolved and unresponsive to treatments.