Michigan veterinarian urges vigilance as mysterious dog illness spreads
(CBS DETROIT) - A mysterious illness is spreading in dogs across the country. While no official cases have been reported in Michigan so far, some veterinarians said they are seeing sick dogs, who are not responding to typical treatments.
The infectious respiratory disease has been seen in dogs from New Hampshire to Oregon. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, and lethargy.
"They cough for three weeks, four weeks, and sometimes they result in pneumonia," said Dr. Gracen Chang, a veterinarian at Southfield Veterinary Hospital.
She said while they might not have any official reported cases yet, they are seeing sick dogs come in that aren't responsive to typical treatments.
"Usually those work with kennel cough and canine influenza. But these are not doing the job," she said.
The mysterious disease has worried some pet owners.
"Somebody sent me a link yesterday. And they said it's a very sudden fever and it turns into pneumonia very quickly and it's normally a bad outcome," said dog owner Paul McCarvillell. "All you can really do, you've got to keep an eye out for other people's dogs."
Chang said keeping your dog up to date on their vaccines can help, and be mindful of exposure at pet daycares, groomers, and boarders.
"If the cough doesn't go away, if they start having fevers of greater than 103 or they're not eating, or they're coughing large amounts of phlegm. They need to go in as soon as they can," she said. "Jump on it as soon as you can, because if this virus is coming toward our way you don't want your pet to be so sick that they have to be hospitalized."
