Mystery canine disease spreading across US
The unknown respiratory disease has infected dogs in at least nine states, resulting in death in rare cases
A mysterious respiratory disease affecting dogs has spread across the United States to more states, raising concerns about a potential pandemic among dogs, as veterinarians struggle to identify the disease and trace its origin.
The disease, called atypical infectious respiratory disease (aCIRD), has affected hundreds of dogs in Oregon alone. The first cases in California came to light on Tuesday, when the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced mentioned At least ten dogs became infected with the disease.
Dogs have reportedly been affected in at least seven other states — stretching from New Hampshire to Illinois to Colorado to Washington — and in rare cases, the disease can be fatal. Typical symptoms include cough, lethargy, nasal discharge, and loss of appetite. Affected dogs tested negative for common respiratory diseases that cause similar symptoms.
“I can’t predict where this will go.” Dr. Carl Gundry, Professor at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Tell NBC News. “This is like another mini-epidemic, if you will, but it’s not necessarily proven yet that we have it under control.”
Cases of the disease date back to at least last August. The disease is resistant to standard treatments for respiratory diseases in dogs, and researchers are working to identify common DNA segments in samples collected from veterinary clinics in multiple states. Some dogs suffered from long-term illnesses with pneumonia-like symptoms.
Cases of canine respiratory illnesses are increasing across the United States, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) warned Tuesday. The group recommended taking several precautions, including keeping pet vaccinations up to date and avoiding unnecessary gatherings of dogs, such as taking them to dog parks. “Little is known about the disease and how it spreads” Avma He said.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health recommended that sick dogs be kept at home and isolated for at least 28 days, while canines that were exposed to them should be isolated at home for 14 days. The department told the Los Angeles Times that some of the infected California dogs have become sick since the beginning of October, and one dog has died from the disease.
