A mysterious respiratory illness in dogs is spreading across the country. While veterinarians don’t know much about the disease, they have some recommendations to avoid a potentially deadly disease.
Veterinarians have detected an unusual respiratory disease affecting dogs in 10 states in the country.
Since August, 200 cases of this puzzling disease have been reported in Oregon.
Dr. Amanda Cavanagh, chief of urgent care services at Colorado State University’s James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, said the “today” program who has seen dogs suffer coughing fits that last several weeks and even months from summer to fall. Cavanaugh noted that cases have doubled in the last month.
Cavanagh noted that pneumonia can be “really serious” and that some of the dogs died or had to be euthanized.
“It seems to happen very, very quickly: they go from this cough that just won’t go away… and then all of a sudden they develop this pneumonia,” said Lindsey Ganzer, a veterinarian and executive director of the North Springs Veterinary Referral Center. in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Ganzer added that the disease appears to develop “very, very quickly.”
Kevin Snekvik, executive director of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, said KIRO-TV“Your dog will have a fever and not feel well. He will become lethargic, which means he will want to lie down more when he would normally want to play outside… and the coughing part, that becomes more productive as a wet cough, like a dry cough.”
The Oregon Department of Agriculture has identified symptoms of this puzzling illness, including sneezing, runny eyes or nose, fatigue, blue or purple gums from lack of oxygen, difficulty breathing, and negative tests for other common respiratory illnesses.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture said the illness develops in three different ways: a mild to moderate cough for six to eight weeks that does not respond to antibiotics or responds only slightly; chronic pneumonia that does not respond to antibiotics; or severe pneumonia that “often leads to poor outcomes in as little as 24 to 36 hours.”
According to Ganzer and the Oregon Department of Health, cases matching the symptoms of the mysterious respiratory illness have been reported in the following states:
- Oregon
- Colorado
- New Hampshire and the surrounding northeast area
- California
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Washington
- Idaho
- Georgia
- Florida
“We are still trying to pinpoint a potential cause or causes for the entity. At least in Oregon, it has presented us with some challenges.” explained Kurt Williams, director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University. He added that there are a variety of reasons why dogs develop coughs.
Williams recommended that dog owners make sure their pets are up to date on vaccinations, including those for canine influenza, Bordetella and parainfluenza.
The American Veterinary Medical Association is monitoring cases of this enigmatic disease, but it is unknown how many pets are infected and how many have died from this potentially deadly disease.
While veterinarians aren’t sure how the mystery illness spreads, they recommend that your dog avoid close contact with other dogs at groomers, daycares, boarding kennels, and dog parks.
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