Respiratory Illness: Unusual respiratory illness in dogs in several US states deepens concern

NEW DELHI: In the wake of unusual respiratory illness in dogs across several US states, veterinary laboratories are probing the phenomenon and have advised basic precautions to keep their pets healthy, reported news agency AP.
Cases of the illness, leading to persistent respiratory disease and pneumonia that don't yield to antibiotic treatment, have been reported in states like Oregon, Colorado, and New Hampshire.
Symptoms of respiratory illness in dogs encompass coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge, and lethargy. In certain instances, pneumonia can advance rapidly, resulting in severe illness in dogs within a span of 24 to 36 hours.
According to the agency, since mid-August, the Oregon Department of Agriculture has recorded over 200 instances of the disease.
The department also has urged pet owners to promptly consult their veterinarian if their dog exhibits symptoms of illness and instructs state veterinarians to promptly report cases.
Meanwhile, in collaboration with state researchers and the US Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratory, the department of agriculture is actively investigating the root cause of these illnesses.
Director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University, Kurt Williams, told AP that “Dogs have died…But without a clear way to define the disease or test for it”
He said, “It's hard to put a number on how many died from a severe form of the infection”.
Williams asked pet owners not to panic and ensure that their pets are “up to date on vaccines, including those that protect against various respiratory illnesses”.
Williams had a simple message for dog owners: “Don’t panic.” He also said dog owners should make sure that their pets are up to date on vaccines, including those that protect against various respiratory illnesses.
Labs across the country have been sharing their findings as they try to find the primary reason for the disease.
David Needle, senior veterinary pathologist at the University of New Hampshire's New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, has been investigating the mysterious disease for almost a year, reported to AP.
The lab, along with colleagues at the university's Hubbard Center for Genome Research, has examined samples from dogs in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Additional samples are anticipated from Oregon, Colorado, and potentially other states in the near future.
He told AP that his team has “not seen a large increase in dogs dying from the illness but still encouraged pet owners to decrease contact with other dogs.”