A New Dog Disease is Spreading in the US, Dog Owners on Alert
A respiratory disease that mimics kennel cough but has slightly different symptoms is worrying dog owners across the United States. It’s unclear exactly how many cases there are.
Some dogs developed mild to moderate tracheobronchitis that persisted for six to eight weeks or longer and showed little to no response to antibiotics, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Pneumonia in certain dogs could be severe, acute, or chronic.
Although numerous bacteria and viruses can cause kennel cough, the illness might already be gone by the time a dog is tested. Determining the underlying cause or causes is a task for the officials in Colorado, Oregon, and New Hampshire.
Cleaning common areas, prohibiting dogs from sharing water bowls, and advising dog owners to call a veterinarian if their dog coughs before interacting with other dogs are some of the precautions every dog owner should take.
Dog owners have received a notice about the illness and the precautions taken from The Bark Yard in South Portland. Dogs can contract the disease by licking each other’s faces, breathing on each other, or sharing water bowls, according to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.
