A respiratory infection impacting dogs has been reported in 37 states, including here in Indiana, has many pet owners concerned.
The owner of Ollie’s Canine Campus in Terre Haute says four of his own dogs have had the illness with all of them recovering after several weeks. He says the fear has impacted his business as pet owners and veterinarians work to learn more about the mystery illness.
“Some of the reports on social media said it was lethal, it was deadly, dogs were dying from it and, that freaked out a lot of our clients,” explains Tom Kuhl, owner of Ollie’s. “People had to cancel Thanksgiving plans because they didn’t want to leave their dog in a boarding facility because they were scared of this virus.”
Kuhl says he wants pet owners to be aware of the illness and monitor their dogs for symptoms of a respiratory infection, but, he doesn’t want pet owners to panic. He thinks social media reports have overblown the situation.
“We’ve heard reports this week that it’s not as lethal and deadly as social media has portrayed it to be. If your dog is experiencing any kind of symptoms, please keep them at home because, it’s just like kids in a daycare, we don’t want to spread any germs to the other dogs around here. It’s still a virus that is treatable, from what the veterinarians have been telling us, it just takes longer for the dogs to get over it.”
How is the mystery canine illness spreading?
The Oregon Department of Agriculture tells NBC News that the illness can progress in three ways:
- Mild to moderate cough for six to eight weeks or longer that either doesn’t respond to antibiotics or only responds a little
- Chronic pneumonia that doesn’t respond to antibiotics
- Severe pneumonia that often leads to poor outcomes in as little as 24 to 36 hours
Officials in both Indiana and Illinois have reported cases of the mystery illness.
EXPERTS: Pet owners should be cautious, but not panic
Pet owners are encouraged to watch for symptoms, including:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Nasal or Eye Discharge
- Red Eyes
- Lethergy
- Trouble Breathing
- Blue or Purple Gums
Pet owners should ensure their dogs are fully vaccinated and boosted against the known canine diseases and keep any sick pets at home (keep them away from dog parks and boarding facilities).
