Wisconsin veterinarians are urging dog owners to take precautions as they begin to see possible cases of a new dog disease that is fatal to most dogs. There is little evidence that this is the case.
Keith Paulsen, director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the disease, now called atypical canine respiratory disease, began appearing in the state in late October, with clinics reporting six to 12 cases each. It is said that cases have occurred. started to appear It took place earlier this year in Colorado, Massachusetts and other areas.
Most veterinarians report that dogs treated for the disease have a cough that lasts four to eight weeks, according to a Dec. 4 white paper Paulsen wrote about the disease. This can be similar to kennel cough, which is caused by certain known bacteria or viruses. generally characterized It is caused by cough, fatigue, runny nose, fever, and loss of appetite.
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However, this new disease does not respond well to common treatments for kennel cough, and researchers have not yet been able to pinpoint its cause. Whether it’s a new virus, mutated virus, bacteria, or a combination of those factors. There’s also some evidence that, like kennel cough, it’s not necessarily contagious within dog populations, Poulsen said. He says they don’t seem to jump between species like cats do.
“If I had to guess, it would probably be a new pathogen, or maybe a changed virus or a changed bacteria,” Poulsen said.
Jessica Pritchard, a veterinarian and researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, said the Midwest hasn’t seen a spike in hospitalizations due to coughing dogs and wonders if “we’re seeing kennel cough again. It’s not clear whether he has some kind of illness.” new. “
COVID-19 closures have had the effect of reducing dogs’ immunity to pathogens, as dogs and their owners have limited contact with other dogs, and vaccinations have been delayed at regular veterinary visits. It is possible that
“We lost a lot of protection that we had for dogs because people stopped vaccinating them because they didn’t travel with their dogs or bring their dogs with them,” she said. I did.
As researchers continue to understand this disease, veterinarians recommend several strategies to prevent it.
- Make sure your dog receives the recommended major vaccinations during regular veterinary checkups.
- It is unknown whether this disease spreads through dog populations, but the risks are worth considering when keeping dogs in group settings. Owners may be wise to take advantage of dog runs at less busy times or choose an in-home pet sitter instead of a kennel while traveling.
- Be especially careful with young dogs who have not had their full vaccinations, older dogs, or dogs with other medical conditions that may make them more susceptible to atypical canine respiratory diseases.
If your dog is just coughing but is otherwise eating, drinking, and behaving normally, it’s worth seeing your veterinarian and isolating the dog, but it may not require urgent treatment. is high, Pritchard said.
“I don’t think people need to be super scared,” she says. “We did this with COVID-19. We know what to do when we are sick. We know what to do when we are sick. We know what to do when we are sick. If you avoid gathering in large groups where you may be and follow those rules, you’ll probably be fine.”