Veterinary laboratories in several states are investigating an unusual respiratory illness in dogs. States including Oregon, Colorado, and New Hampshire have seen cases of the illness, which has caused lasting respiratory disease and pneumonia that does not respond to antibiotics. Symptoms of this respiratory illness in dogs include coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge, and lethargy. Some cases progress quickly, making dogs very sick within 24 to 36 hours.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture has documented more than 200 cases of the disease since mid-August and encouraged pet owners to contact their vet if their dog is sick. The agency is working with state researchers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory to find out what is causing the illnesses.
Kurt Williams, director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University, stated that dogs have died from the illness and without a clear way to define the disease or test for it, it’s hard to determine how many have died from a severe form of the infection. Williams advised dog owners to ensure that their pets are up to date on vaccines, including those that protect against various respiratory illnesses.
Meanwhile, labs across the country have been sharing their findings as they try to pinpoint the cause of the illness. David Needle, senior veterinary pathologist at the University of New Hampshire’s New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, has been investigating the mysterious disease for almost a year. His lab and colleagues at the university’s Hubbard Center for Genome Research have looked at samples from dogs in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, with more samples coming from Oregon, Colorado, and possibly other states.
Needle urged pet owners to decrease their dogs’ contact with other dogs as a precautionary measure. The investigation is ongoing, and the veterinary community is working diligently to determine the origin and treatment options for this concerning illness.
