Experts Issue Recommendations for Dog Owners Amid Highly Contagious Canine Illness

A rottweiler is presented during the Fifth Ankara National Breed Standards Competition organized by the Dog Breeds and Kinology Federation (KIV) in Golbas in Ankara on Aug. 25, 2019. Adem Altan/AFP via Getty Images

Experts have issued a series of recommendations for dog owners amid the spread of a mysterious canine illness in some states across the United States.

Little is known about the disease, although the initial outbreak was first identified in Willamette Valley, Oregon in early August, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA).

The department has so far received 200 written reports from veterinarians, according to reports.

Cases of the mystery illness—which officials say attacks the respiratory system of affected dogs and causes symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge, and lethargy—have since spread to other states.

Earlier this week, a dog shelter in San Diego temporarily paused intake of owner-surrendered dogs until Dec. 1, citing the “highly contagious illness.” In that case, the shelter cited Streptococcus Equi subspecies Zooepidemicus (also known as Strep Zoo) as well as a bacterial infection called Mycoplasma.

Other cases have also been reported in Idaho, with one dog owner telling “Good Morning America” that three of her golden retrievers began showing symptoms of the mystery illness earlier this month.

Kevin Snekvik, the executive director of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab, told CBS affiliate KIRO-TV that researchers are still trying to understand what is causing the disease, which is highly contagious and can be fatal in some cases.

“What we’re seeing is respiratory disease so again the coughing, dogs not feeling well, and presenting as kind of a kennel cough,” he said.

In the meantime, he recommended dog owners keep an eye out for possible symptoms in their pets and ensure they’re up to date on all their vaccinations.

Fantasy, a sniffer dog trained to detect COVID-19 sits next to a trainer during a news conference in Vienna, Austria on Nov. 2, 2021. Leonhard Foeger/Reuters

Avoid Taking Pets to Dog Parks

“Your dog will run a fever and they won’t feel good, they’ll become lethargic meaning they want to lie around more when normally they’d be wanting to play outside and play, and ... the coughing part of it, if that becomes more productive more of a wet cough, like a hacking cough,” Mr. Snekvik said.

Dogs experiencing any of those symptoms should be taken to their veterinarian immediately to undergo sampling, he said.

Additionally, Mr. Snekvik recommended dog owners avoid taking their pets to dog parks or congregating with other dogs they don’t know. He also advised owners not to leave their pets with other carers while they are away, despite the upcoming Christmas travel season on the horizon.

In a press release earlier this month, ODA said it is actively working with reporting veterinarians and specialists at OSU’s Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, and the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory to find the cause of the diseases.

Based on the epidemiology of the cases reported to date, ODA said the cases appear to share a viral etiology, but common respiratory diagnostic testing has been “largely negative.”

A handful of cases have tested positive for Mycoplasma cynos, or bacteria that can typically cause respiratory disease in canines, although officials said that is not believed to be the underlying causative agent.

Owners Shouldn’t Worry, Officials Say

The cases reported to ODA so far fall primarily into three general clinical syndromes, according to officials: chronic mild to moderate tracheobronchitis with a prolonged duration of six to eight weeks or longer that is either minimally or not responsive to antibiotics; chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics; and acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and often leads to “poor outcomes” as early as 24 to 36 hours after development.

The department said it is currently awaiting genome sequencing results on several acute samples from the USDA, which could potentially provide guidance moving forward.

In the meantime, however, the department urged dog owners to exercise caution but not to worry, noting that periodic outbreaks of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) can occur in a dog population, particularly in places such as shelters, boarding, or training facilities.

“At least nine different bacteria and viruses have been linked as causes of CIRDC, which is transmitted by respiratory droplets. Infection with more than one bacterial or viral agent is common,” the department said.

The department further encouraged dog owners to speak to their veterinarians about which vaccines might be appropriate for their beloved pooch, such as canine influenza, Bordetella, and parainfluenza.

Separately, Dr. Stephen Kochis, Oregon Humane Society’s chief medical officer, told Newsweek that despite cases increasing more than is typically seen during the fall and winter seasons, he and his colleagues have not noticed anything unusual in its shelter population or among patients and vets.

Still, Dr. Kochis said that the mysterious nature of the disease warrants cause for concern, noting that it “does not follow the typical disease symptoms” and is difficult to diagnose.