Mystery illness killing dogs; here’s what we know in Pa.

November 27, 2023 | 12:31 PM

• By Lisa Scheid/LNP | LancasterOnline

 Suzette Wenger / LNP | LancasterOnline

Ryan Hess of Lancaster, walks his two dogs, Rocco, 8 and Ripley, 1, along East Farm View Drive in the Lancaster County Central Park on Monday, Jan., 10, 2022.

No cases of a mysterious illness making dogs sick – and sometimes killing them – have been detected in Pennsylvania.

Laboratories in at least four states are investigating the respiratory illness in dogs that are presenting similar symptoms to kennel cough, but it can last much longer, and in some cases prove fatal, according to veterinarians.

There have been no known cases of the illness in Pennsylvania as of Tuesday, said Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Deputy Communications Director Jay Losiewicz.  The department is following the situation and coordinating with agencies in neighboring states as well as staying in touch with veterinarians in the state.

The infected dogs develop a cough, fever, lethargy and intermittent loss of appetite. Veterinarians said the undetermined illness has led to hospitalizations and the deaths of older dogs or those with health issues.

Although there is no official count of the number of infections, veterinarians said they have treated more dogs with these symptoms in the past few months. Cases have been reported in at least four states: Colorado, Massachusetts, Oregon and Rhode Island, but experts suspect that the illness is much more widespread.

Five veterinarians in Lancaster County contacted by LNP | LancasterOnline declined to speak about the mystery disease.

Client relations lead Becca Conner at Pine Creek Animal Hospital in Manor Township said she’s received three or four calls from clients worried about reports of the dog illness. Their dogs were not ill. Recommendations right now for dog owners are to make sure their dog is up to date on vaccinations including Bordetella, distemper virus parvo and influenza, she said.

Dr. Lindsey Ganzer, a veterinarian and CEO at North Springs Veterinary Referral Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, said that she has treated about 35 dogs with the illness since late October. Four dogs had to be euthanized or died.

There was one commonality among them: They spent time in places with a high concentration of dogs, such as boarding facilities, doggy day care or dog parks. Ganzer said she fears that veterinarians may see an increase in cases as more owners board their dogs or send them to day care during the holidays.

Since mid-August, veterinarians in Oregon have reported more than 200 cases, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Stephen Kochis, chief medical officer for the Oregon Humane Society, said he does not want people to panic because this figure represents a small number of all the dogs in the state.

He added that there are many respiratory illnesses that are treatable.

Dogs with kennel cough, for instance, may show similar symptoms, such as coughing, lack of appetite, fever and lethargy, which usually clear up in one to three weeks. Owners should not be anxious if their dogs show symptoms of this emerging illness but they should be proactive.

“All of us have gone through COVID,” he said. “I would say if your dog is showing signs of respiratory disease, isolate them in the home, call your vet, get them seen.”

The New York Times contributed to this report.

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