Dogs are coming down with an unusual respiratory illness in several US states

SICK AND SOME EVEN DYING FROM AN ILLNESS EXPERTS CONSIDER TO BE A MYSTERY. AND VETS SAY IT IS NOT THE TIME TO PUSH THE PANIC BUTTON. BUT AS WESH 2’S MICHELLE MEREDITH REPORTS, THEY WANT DOG OWNERS AND DOG LOVERS EVERYWHERE TO JUST PUT IT ON THEIR RADAR. EXPERTS CALL IT A MISSED THREE DOG ILLNESS BECAUSE IT STARTS WITH A COUGH CAN MORPH INTO PNEUMONIA, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO KILL AND DOES NOT TEST LIKE COMMON DOG VIRUSES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS VETS IS SOMETIMES ANTIBODIES. BIOTICS DON’T REALLY WORK WHEN THEY’RE TRYING TO TREAT THESE DOGS WITH THE MYSTERY ILLNESS AS IT HAS SHOWN UP ALL OVER THE US AND SEMINOLE COUNTY EIGHT DOGS HAVE BEEN QUARANTINED WITH A RESPIRATORY ILLNESS. THEY ARE RESPONDING TO ANTIBIOTICS AND WILL GET BACK ON TRACK. JILLIAN DO YOU KNOW IF THESE DOGS HAVE THIS MYSTERY ILLNESS? IT’S REALLY HARD TO KNOW THAT. SO WE JUST KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AND THEN WE MOVED THEM. AND SO FAR WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTAIN IT HERE, WHETHER, AGAIN, IT’S KENNEL COUGH OR WHETHER IT’S THIS RESPIRATORY ILLNESS, WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTAIN BOTH OF THOSE, WHICH IS AMAZING. WHAT CAN YOU DO? EXPERTS SAY AVOID PUTTING YOUR DOG IN CONTACT WITH OTHER DOGS. AND IF YOU DO HAVE A DOGGIE FRIEND GROUP, MAKE SURE THOSE DOGS ARE VACCINATED. MICHELLE. MEREDITH. WESH 2 NEWS. IN STATES LIKE COLORADO, WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF REPORTED CASES, VETS SAY THE MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS STARTED IN

Veterinary laboratories in several states are investigating an unusual respiratory illness in dogs, and encouraging people to take basic precautions to keep their pets healthy as veterinarians try to pin down what's making the animals sick.Oregon, Colorado, Florida and New Hampshire are among the states that have seen cases of the illness, which has caused lasting respiratory disease and pneumonia and does not respond to antibiotics. Symptoms of respiratory illness in dogs include coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge and lethargy. Some cases of the pneumonia progress quickly, making dogs very sick within 24 to 36 hours.The Oregon Department of Agriculture has documented more than 200 cases of the disease since mid-August. It has encouraged pet owners to contact their vet if their dog is sick and told state veterinarians to report cases as soon as possible. The agency is working with state researchers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory to find out what is causing the illnesses.Dogs have died, said Kurt Williams, director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University. 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.Labs across the country have been sharing their findings as they try to pinpoint the culprit.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.His lab and colleagues at the university's Hubbard Center for Genome Research have looked at samples from dogs in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Massachusetts and more will be coming from Oregon, Colorado and possibly other states.He said 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.”What can you do?Williams had a simple message for dog owners: “Don’t panic.” In addition to decreasing contact with other dogs, he said dog owners should make sure that their pets are up to date on vaccines, including those that protect against various respiratory illnesses.The Associated Press contributed to this report

Oregon, Colorado, Florida and New Hampshire are among the states that have seen cases of the illness, which has caused lasting respiratory disease and pneumonia and does not respond to antibiotics. Symptoms of respiratory illness in dogs include coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge and lethargy. Some cases of the pneumonia progress quickly, making dogs very sick within 24 to 36 hours.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture has documented more than 200 cases of the disease since mid-August. It has encouraged pet owners to contact their vet if their dog is sick and told state veterinarians to report cases as soon as possible. The agency is working with state researchers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory to find out what is causing the illnesses.

Dogs have died, said Kurt Williams, director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University. 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.

Labs across the country have been sharing their findings as they try to pinpoint the culprit.

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.

His lab and colleagues at the university's Hubbard Center for Genome Research have looked at samples from dogs in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Massachusetts and more will be coming from Oregon, Colorado and possibly other states.

He said 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.”

What can you do?

Williams had a simple message for dog owners: “Don’t panic.”

In addition to decreasing contact with other dogs, he said dog owners should make sure that their pets are up to date on vaccines, including those that protect against various respiratory illnesses.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Dogs are coming down with an unusual respiratory illness in several US states

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