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Michigan monitoring mysterious dog illness spreading in other states

Contagious illness causes lasting respiratory disease in dogs

Dogs at Orange County Animal Services (FILE) (Orange County Animal Services)

Michigan dog owners are being encouraged to watch their pets closely as a mysterious respiratory illness spreads among dogs in several other states.

The contagious illness is causing lasting respiratory disease and pneumonia among dogs in 14 states. The illness does not appear to respond to antibiotics. There have not been any reports of the illness among Michigan dogs, according to MDARD.

Dogs are most likely to get sick by being in close contact with numerous other dogs. That includes places like daycare, dog parks, groomers, or boarding kennels. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nasal and/or eye discharge, and lethargy. Some cases of pneumonia quickly become severe and make dogs severely sick in as little as 24 to 36 hours.

“While the exact cause of this illness remains unknown, taking some basic steps to prevent a dog’s exposure to harmful germs can go a long way to protecting their overall health,” said state veterinarian Nora Wineland, DVM, MS, DACVPM. “If owners notice respiratory symptoms (such as coughing, sneezing, or nasal discharge) in their dogs, it is important to reach out to their veterinarian early on in their animal’s illness so diagnostic testing can be completed and an appropriate course of treatment can begin.”

Pet owners should contact their veterinarian if they notice any signs of illness. There are several causes of infectious respiratory diseases in dogs and many can be prevented through routine vaccination or veterinary care.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (MSU VDL) will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates when more information is available.

What are the symptoms?

If your dog has any of these symptoms you should contact your veterinarian.

According to MDARD, the cases include the following symptoms:

  • Coughing.
  • Sneezing.
  • Nasal and/or eye discharge.
  • Fever.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Lethargy.

Coughing may persist for weeks or months. Severe forms of the disease can progress to life-threatening pneumonia.

According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), the chronic pneumonia can be minimally or not responsive to antimicrobials. Symptoms might also include acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and often leads to poor outcomes in as little as 24 to 36 hours.

---> Mystery dog illness: Symptoms to monitor, what owners should do

What should Michigan dog owners do?

Pet owners should work with their veterinarian to make sure their dog is up to date on routine vaccinations.

Dogs should be fully vaccinated before interacting with other dogs. Dogs should not be allowed to eat or drink from bowls that are shared with multiple unknown dogs.

Pet owners should contact their veterinarian if their dog has any signs of illness. The sick dog should be kept at home and away from other dogs. Keep your dog away from dogs that appear sick or whose vaccination status is unknown.

“Because common respiratory illnesses (i.e., kennel cough) in dogs is generally self-limiting, veterinarians may not routinely perform diagnostic testing. However, performing testing early on can serve multiple purposes,” said MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory director Kimberly Dodd, DVM, MS, PhD. “If a more common cause of illness is found, it may give owners peace of mind. Based on the diagnosis, clinicians can better predict the course of illness and administer antibiotics when warranted. If routine diagnostics are negative, having acute samples can help us as we try to identify the cause of this atypical respiratory illness.”

Veterinarians are instructed to contact MDARD at 800-292-3939 if unusual or reportable conditions in animals are seen. If veterinarians are interested in pursuing testing, they can contact the MSU VDL for advice and assistance at 517-353-1683.

Which states have cases of this illness?

According to USA Today, there have been cases in the following 14 states:

  • California
  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Oregon
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Washington

About the Author
Kayla Clarke headshot

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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