There's a respiratory dog illness going around. Here's what an Iowa vet says about it.

Kyle Werner and Saman Shafiq, Des Moines Register
·4 min read

One Des Moines veterinary office has seen more than 100 cases of a dog illness that is sweeping the country, resulting in kennel cough-like symptoms and in some instances, death.

While experts are still trying to figure out the cause of the illnesses, cases are spreading nationwide, according to a news release from the American Veterinary Medical Association in late November. As of Monday, the disease had been reported in 14 states stretching from Florida to California and the cause of the mysterious illness remained under investigation, American Veterinary Medical Association President Dr. Rena Carlson told USA TODAY.

Iowa is not on the AVMA's list but one local veterinarian said she's been diagnosing the disease. As first reported by KCCI, Melissa Beyer, a veterinarian at South Des Moines Veterinary Clinic, said she has seen more than 100 cases since late September.

"Just last week, we probably saw 20 cases," Beyer said in an interview with the Des Moines Register. "(It was) handfuls in September and then just kind of gradually increasing from there."

Here's everything to know about the mystery illness, symptoms to look out for and what to do if you suspect your dog could be affected.

What is the mysterious illness?

The mysterious illness first started popping up in August, but the question was whether or not it was a "rare type of pneumonia."

Now, the mysterious dog illness has been compared to kennel cough, a highly contagious respiratory disease in dogs, according to the American Kennel Association.

But it's not kennel cough, it's an antibiotic-resistant mystery illness that is spreading.

Experts are yet to fully understand the disease and the cause behind it, says David Needle, senior veterinary pathologist at the University of New Hampshire’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Needle said that he and his colleagues at the University’s Hubbard Center for Genome Research have been studying the virus for more than a year.

How do I know if my dog has the mystery illness?

According to Beyer, symptoms may include coughing, runny nose, runny eyes and sneezing.

Here are some of the common symptoms of the respiratory illness in dogs:

  • Coughing and sneezing

  • Difficulty breathing

  • Rapid breathing

  • Wheezing or nasal whistling

  • Dehydration

  • Difficulty exercising

  • Fever

  • Nasal or eye discharge

  • Loss of appetite

  • Weight loss

  • Lethargy

Beyer said this illness looks a lot like kennel cough.

"On our end of things here at the clinic, it's it sounds like kennel cough, it feels like kennel cough," Beyer said. "When these first started, we treated them like it was kennel cough, but they are just not responding like normal kennel cough dogs would."

What happens if my dog gets the mystery illness?

If you suspect your pup has any of these symptoms, the best thing to do is to contact your vet immediately.

"One of the big things is that we are doing our diagnostics to make sure we're ruling out other things. So in our respiratory panels, to make sure there's nothing else that's popping up or taking X-rays to assess those lungs right away," Beyer said.

Treatments for this illness include broad spectrum antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, cough suppressants and supportive care, according to Beyer.

Will my dog get better if it gets the illness?

With time and proper treatment, dogs are seeing relief from the respiratory illness.

"It's just taking much longer than what we anticipate for a normal respiratory infection," Beyer said. "They're just needing more medicines, different medications more supportive care."

She also said there has been a relatively low fatality rate, and that she has not seen any at her clinic.

"I think everybody is very much aware of what's going on and has been have been vigilant about caring for these guys."

With the mystery illness spreading more and more, it's important to keep an eye on your pup and look out for possible symptoms.

"If (owners) have questions, call." Beyer said. "We'd much rather err on the side of caution knowing that this can get very serious very fast."

How can you keep your dog safe from the respiratory illness?

Veterinarians are advising dog owners to ensure that their pet's vaccines are up to date.

"Keep making sure your pets are current on vaccinations because we don't know exactly what this is," Beyer said. "That would be extremely helpful."

Much like pneumonia and kennel cough, it is also recommended to socially distance from other dogs or to avoid dog parks to prevent the spread of this mystery dog illness.

If you believe your pet may have this mystery dog illness, contact your veterinarian immediately so a treatment plan can be implemented.

USA TODAY and the Associated Press contributed to this story.

Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How to protect your dog from the illness going around Iowa, the US