Mystery Dog Illness Spreading In US. Vets Say It's Dangerous

A mysterious illness is spreading among dogs in the US. According to CBS, hundreds of pets have been impacted by the deadly respiratory illness in more than 10 states. The Oregon Department of Agriculture in a news release said that the mysterious illness is described as an "atypical canine infectious respiratory disease."

In Oregon alone, veterinarians have reported more than 200 cases of the disease since mid-August. Other cases were reported in Colorado, Illinois and New Hampshire. 

"Based on the epidemiology of the cases reported at this point, the cases appear to share a viral aetiology, but common respiratory diagnostic testing has been largely negative," Oregon State Veterinarian Dr Ryan Scholz told the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. David B. Needle, a pathologist at the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and clinical associate professor at the University of New Hampshire told CNN that dogs with the mysterious illness showed similar signs of an upper respiratory disease but they don't test positive for common respiratory diseases. 

"Fatalities do not seem to be a large part of the syndrome we are investigating, with rare animals developing an acute and sometimes fatal pneumonia after the longer chronic disease," Dr Needle told the media outlet. "We think these may represent secondary infections."

"If what we have identified is a pathogen, it is likely that the bacteria is host-adapted bacteria with long histories of colonizing dogs," Dr Needle said. An "evolutionary event" like spontaneous mutation or getting a gene from a different source could then have led the bacteria to become virulent, he said.

Dog owners can take steps to keep their pets healthy. 

The Oregon Veterinary Medical Association's website says, "Periodic outbreaks of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) can occur in a dog population. At least nine different bacteria and viruses have been linked as causes of CIRDC, which is transmitted by respiratory droplets."

"Infection with more than one bacterial or viral agent is common. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nasal and/or eye discharge, and lethargy. If your dog shows these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian," the association said. 

Steps to take to keep dogs healthy:

- Reducing contact with large numbers of unknown dogs. 

- Reduce contact with sick dogs. If a dog looks sick, it's best to keep your dog away. 

- Avoid communal water bowls 

- Keep sick dogs at home and seek veterinary care.