A mysterious respiratory illness in dogs has been reported in several states across the country, causing alarm among veterinarians before the holiday season.
Veterinarians are advising dog owners to limit their pets' exposure to other dogs in high-concentration areas, such as boarding facilities, doggy day cares, and dog parks.
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"We're really hoping just with getting the word out there that people are less inclined to do that," Lindsey Ganzer, the chief executive veterinarian at North Springs Veterinary Referral Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, told the New York Times. “The veterinary community as a whole is kind of scared.”
What are the symptoms to look for?
Infected dogs can experience a range of symptoms, including coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge, lethargy, low-grade fever, and loss of appetite. Trouble breathing deeply and developing purple or blue gums due to lack of oxygenation are also possible.
Although mild cases of what is known as "kennel cough" usually clear up in a week, either with rest or antibiotics, the mysterious illness does not appear to respond to antibiotics.
The American Veterinary Medical Association says the illness causes chronic inflammation of the trachea lasting six to eight weeks or chronic pneumonia. In severe cases, acute pneumonia can rapidly progress and result in hospitalization or death within as little as 24 hours.
Experts are unsure if the condition is viral or bacterial.
Where is the illness?
So far, relevant public health agencies in at least four states have reported cases: Colorado, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Oregon.
Other states are having severe outbreaks of known canine respiratory illnesses, including New Hampshire, California, Indiana, Illinois, Washington, Idaho, Georgia, and Florida.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture reported that veterinarians in the state have identified over 200 cases of the mysterious illness since mid-August.
ODA spokeswoman Andrea Cantu-Schomus issued a statement to the AVMA, calling on veterinarians across the country to report cases of respiratory infection to public health agencies as quickly as possible.
What should dog owners do?
Although veterinary medicine practitioners are concerned about the trend, they are advising the public not to panic.
“Because of the broad spectrum of potential respiratory diseases, there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation, and working with a veterinarian is the best way to ensure that owners have accurate information that is appropriate for their situation,” Cantu-Schomus said.
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Veterinarians recommend dog owners to take precautions that are used for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases among humans: avoiding large gatherings of dogs, staying up-to-date on vaccinations (especially for respiratory illnesses), and isolating sick pets and taking them to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Older dogs and those with other health problems are most at risk from the respiratory infection.