A mysterious disease is spreading among dogs in the United States.according to CBS, hundreds of pets in more than 10 states have been affected by the deadly respiratory disease. The mysterious disease is described as “atypical canine contagious respiratory disease,” the Oregon Department of Agriculture said in a news release.
In Oregon alone, veterinarians have reported more than 200 cases of the disease since mid-August. Other cases were also reported in Colorado, Illinois and New Hampshire.
“Based on the epidemiology of the cases reported to date, these cases appear to share a viral etiology, but most common respiratory diagnostic tests were negative,” said Oregon State Veterinarian Ryan. Dr. Scholz told the American Veterinary Medical Association.
said Dr. David B. Needle, a pathologist at the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and clinical associate professor at the University of New Hampshire. CNN The dog with the mysterious illness showed similar signs of upper respiratory illness, but did not test positive for common respiratory illnesses.
Dr Needle told the media: “The syndrome we are investigating does not seem to have a high mortality rate, and rare animals can develop acute and sometimes fatal pneumonia after a long period of chronic illness.” Told. “We believe these may be secondary infections.”
“If what we have identified is a pathogen, it is likely a host-adapted bacterium that has a long history of colonizing dogs,” Needle said. He said the bacteria could have become virulent through “evolutionary events” such as natural mutations or acquiring genes from another source.
Dog owners can take steps to keep their pets healthy.
The Oregon Veterinary Medical Association website states, “Periodic outbreaks of canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) can occur within dog populations. As a cause of CIRDC, which is transmitted by respiratory droplets, , at least nine different bacteria and viruses have been associated.
“Infections with multiple bacterial or viral pathogens are common. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, runny nose or eyes, and lethargy. If your dog exhibits these symptoms, contact your veterinarian. Please do so,” the association said.
Steps to take to keep your dog healthy:
– Reduce contact with large numbers of strange dogs.
– Reduce contact with sick dogs. If your dog is acting strange, it’s best to keep him away.
– Avoid public drinking fountains
– Keep sick dogs at home and seek veterinary care.