Overland Park vet technician warns of illness for dogs

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.
— A local veterinary technician is cautioning pet owners as she believes it’s only a matter of time before our area sees a dangerous respiratory illness that impacts dogs. 

While Registered Veterinary Technician Liz Talkington said they’re currently keeping an eye on a “suspicious” case at their clinic in Overland Park, they can’t confirm whether it’s the new strain of the upper respiratory illness.

“Boarding facilities, dog parks, doggy daycare, I would avoid all those right now,” Talkington said.

A 10-year-old dog is on high-flow oxygen and antibiotics after days of on-and-off difficulty breathing.
Talkington said it’ll be another 24 hours before they’ll know how he’s responding to treatment. 

She said he came in about 24 hours ago to Overland Park Veterinary Emergency and Specialty. 

“We can’t confirm whether it’s the new strain of upper respiratory illness at this point, but it’s suspicious, and so we’re concerned,” Talkington said.

Talkington is talking about a new upper respiratory illness impacting dogs across the country spreading to several states.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture has received 200 reports of this dog flu. 

Talkington said there have been none confirmed here locally.

“They do know it’s a bacterium,” Talkington said.
“It’s not viral, it’s not fungal, but it’s not responding to our normal courses of treatment.”

Symptoms to look for include a cough, heavy breathing while resting and lack of activity or appetite. 

Talkington said some cases turn into severe Pneumonia and lead to death. 

“I wouldn’t want to lose her,” Dog Owner Jennifer Dykstra said. 

Dykstra called her vet to keep her dog Pepper safe. 

She limits the times they go to the dog park and brings her own water and bowl. 

“It scares me a little,” Dykstra said.
“That’s why I’m visiting less than I normally would.
I’m normally here every day.”

Talkington said they’re taking precautions, temporarily putting a pause on employees bringing their own pups to work. 

She said staying up to date on your dog’s vaccinations can also help. 

As the holiday season kicks off, Talkington is concerned that cases could be closing in on our area.

“Have a pet sitter come to your home if you need to travel, limit family members coming over with their pets if you can, wash your hands in between contact with other animals,” Talkington said.
“And then just keep a close eye on your pet for signs and symptoms.”

As for other kinds of pets at home and people, Talkington said this illness looks to just spread from dog to dog.