Covering Everything You Need To Know About The Mysterious Dog Illness That Is Affecting Dogs Across The U.S.
The winter of 2023 is a scary time for dogs and dog owners. Curbed & USA Today report that hundreds of dogs in at least 15 states have contracted a mysterious respiratory illness. Various reports also show that this mystery illness has been spreading across the country since August and it only continues to get worse.
This article will go over everything we know so far about this mysterious illness affecting dogs across the country. This includes the various symptoms, how the illness spreads, what states have reported the illness, and what you can do to protect your dog from this mystery illness.
Full Disclosure
We would like to make it clear that ParaMount Pet Care is not a medical institute, nor are we veterinary professionals. We are, however, professionals when it comes to pet care. The majority of information presented in this article comes from veterinary professionals like A.V.M.A. (American Veterinary Medical Association) and various news sources like NPR, NBC News, Curbed, and USA Today.
Illustration of a virus
A Nameless Illness
There is currently no name for the mysterious illness that is currently affecting dogs across the U.S. Many veterinarians report that this illness resembles Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (a.k.a Kennel Cough). Currently, there is still not enough information about the illness to determine why it’s affecting dogs now and at such high rates. Additionally, there is currently no cure. All veterinarians can do for now is simply treat the symptoms.
The Symptoms
Reports show that the symptoms of this mystery illness are similar to that of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (a.k.a Kennel Cough). These symptoms include, but are not limited to, coughing, difficulty breathing, lethargy, eye/nasal discharge, fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, dehydration, chronic pneumonia, and inflammation of the trachea and bronchial airways. If your dog is showing any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.
The Affected States
There are currently a total of 15 states that have reported cases of this mystery dog illness as of 12/7/23. Those states include Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. If you live in any of the aforementioned states, then we suggest keeping your dog at home to lower chances of exposure.
A dog sniffing another dog
How The Illness Spreads
This mystery dog illness is still relatively new. Therefore, there is still much we don’t know about it. What we do know is that it causes chronic respiratory problems. According to David Needle, senior veterinary pathologist at University of New Hampshire’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, this illness is most likely spread through close contact and breathing in the same air as an infected dog.
Protecting Your Dog
Ultimately, the best way to protect your dog from this mystery illness is to keep them at home. Avoid dog boarding facilities, dog kennels, and dog daycares. Keeping your dog isolated and away from other dogs is the safest option right now. However, there’s a good chance you have places to be and can’t spend all day at home with your dog. Instead of dog boarding, the safer option is to hire a professional pet sitter!
Protect Your Dog By Hiring A Pet Sitter Instead!
Keeping your dog at home, isolated from other dogs, is the best way to keep them healthy and safe. But, your dog will still need potty breaks, regular feedings, playtime, and love. Your dog can have all these things when you hire a professional pet sitter!
Look no further than ParaMount Pet Care! We are the leading pet care professionals in the Luzerne County area. All of our sitters are insured, bonded, trained in pet CPR & first aid, and dedicated to caring for your pets. We offer a wide variety of pet sitting services such as in-home pet sitting, routine dog walking, overnight stays, and more! Click here to see all of our services! Click here to become a client today or give us a call at 570-814-1037. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
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