Mysterious Respiratory Illness in Dogs Now Nationwide

In August a mysterious canine illness broke out in Oregon, affecting at least 200 dogs. Since then, the respiratory ailment has spread to 14 states, and vets still don’t know what’s causing it.

“It would be prudent, first and foremost, to make sure your dog is fully vaccinated,” Dr. Kurt Williams, director of Oregon Veterinary Diagnostics Lab told FOX 12 in November. “I think it would not be a bad idea to perhaps avoid possible situations where your dog is mingling with many other dogs. So, at a boarding facilities, or dog parks, or something like that.”

The illness has since spread across the country, from California to Rhode Island, with at least a dozen states in between. Symptoms can include coughing, sneezing, fever, lethargy, and difficulty breathing. The issue can be fatal to some dogs, but the number of fatalities nationwide is unknown.

It is entirely possible that the canine illness correlates with human stupidity. A recent study by Boston University's School of Public Health finds that nearly half of US dog owners are wary of vaccinations, for the same idiotic reasons people avoid getting jabbed. The research appears in the journal Vaccine. (Data on whether dogs afflicted with the mystery illness were vaxed or not has not been made public.)

It is important to note that the sickness among dogs may not be a novel, emerging disease at all. There's still scant evidence that a common pathogen is infecting dogs, so it would be wrong to call the illnesses an “outbreak,” at least until more data is in.

Meanwhile the American Veterinary Medical Association is recommending that dog owners contact the vet if Fido experiences the above symptoms and to keep him away from other pets. Make sure the dog – and yourself – is fully vaccinated.

Photo credit: Oakleybear via Instagram