An unknown respiratory illness is spreading among dogs. Here's what to know
A respiratory illness that veterinarians were calling "dog pneumonia" in Oregon a few months has spread to at least seven other states. No cases of the illness have been reported yet in Missouri.
The respiratory illness remains unknown to veterinarians and researchers, but common symptoms include coughing, sneezing and lethargy. The illness does not appear to respond to antibiotics and can lead to pneumonia. In a few cases, dogs have died.
News of the illness began to circulate in early August, when five dogs in Oregon were sent to emergency rooms and one died. As of Tuesday, the Oregon Department of Agriculture has received more than 200 reports of the atypical illness from veterinarians statewide, according to a Oregon Veterinary Medical Association news release.
More recently, cases of the illness have been reported in Colorado, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, Illinois, Maryland and Wyoming, according to a New York Times story published on Wednesday.
How can you protect your dog?
Although no cases have been reported in Missouri, Dr. Peggy Callow, veterinarian for the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri, reminded dog owners to make sure their canine friends are up-to-date on all vaccines. These include the vaccines for Bordetella (kennel cough), canine influenza and parainfluenza.
Callow also recommended that dog owners reduce the amount of time their dogs spend with large numbers of unknown dogs, reduce the amount of time spent near sick dogs, keep sick dogs at home to avoid spreading any illnesses and avoid communal water bowls. If a dog is sick, Callow said owners should consider having their dogs tested with a PCR test, which can determine if a illness is viral or bacterial.
"We suggest caution rather than worry, as there have been no cases reported in Missouri, and the number of cases reported to Oregon Department of Agriculture represents a very small percentage of Oregon's dog population," Callow told the News-Leader in a statement.
What do scientists know about the illness?
Several veterinarians and specialists across the country are working to learn more about the illness, including Dr. Ryan Scholz, Oregon's state veterinarian.
In an American Veterinary Medical Association news release, Scholz said of all the cases tested in Oregon, the cases appear to have a similar viral foundation, but "common respiratory diagnostic testing has been largely negative." A few of the cases do test positive for Mycoplasma cynos, which are agents of respiratory disease, but Schloz said he does not believe this is the underling causative agent.
From testing conducted so far, the Oregon Department of Agriculture has found that the illness causes chronic mild to moderate inflammation of the trachea, which can last six to eight weeks, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association news release. The illness also can cause both chronic and acute pneumonia; the latter can be fatal.
Can the illness be transferred to humans?
The respiratory illness cannot be transferred from dogs to humans.
USA Today reported on Tuesday that University of New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory veterinary pathologist David Needle said research has shown that the small genome, or bacterium, is "host adapted." This means the genome is more likely to stick to the organism it is used to. There have been no reports of dog owners becoming sick because of their dogs.
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri remains unaffected by unknown respiratory illness among dogs
