Veterinary laboratories in several states are investigating an unusual respiratory illness affecting dogs. They are urging people to take basic precautions to ensure their pets’ well-being as veterinarians work to identify the cause of the sickness. States such as Oregon, Colorado, and New Hampshire have reported cases of the illness, leading to persistent respiratory disease and pneumonia that doesn’t respond to antibiotics.
Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge, and lethargy.
In severe cases, pneumonia can rapidly progress, causing dogs to become seriously ill within 24 to 36 hours. The Oregon Department of Agriculture has recorded over 200 cases of the disease since mid-August and is collaborating with researchers to determine the cause.
Pet owners are advised to contact their veterinarians if their dogs show signs of illness, and state veterinarians are encouraged to promptly report cases.
Dogs have succumbed to the illness, according to Kurt Williams, director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University. However, due to the lack of a clear definition of the disease or a specific test for it, determining the exact number of fatalities from the severe form of the infection is challenging.
Williams conveyed a straightforward message to dog owners: “Don’t panic.” He also emphasized the importance of ensuring that pets are current on vaccines, including those offering protection against various respiratory illnesses.
Laboratories nationwide are collaborating and exchanging their findings in an effort to identify the responsible agent.
David Needle, senior veterinary pathologist at the University of New Hampshire’s New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, has been dedicated to investigating this enigmatic disease for almost a year.
David Needle’s laboratory, in collaboration with colleagues at the university’s Hubbard Center for Genome Research, has examined samples from dogs in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, with additional samples expected from Oregon, Colorado, and potentially other states.
Needle noted that, while his team has not observed a significant rise in dog fatalities due to the illness, he still advises pet owners to “decrease contact with other dogs.”
