A strange disease in the US causes dogs to cough, alerting veterinarians

A rare respiratory disease is affecting dogs across the country, but veterinarians still don’t know its cause. Symptoms start out like a cold but then become complicated by a dry cough that gets worse day by day.

Veterinarians are investigating the cause of the disease, but the most important thing is a cure, as this rare cough is highly contagious and can be fatal as in some cases the animals do not respond to antibiotic treatment.

The disease emerged in the summer but has rebounded in recent months, according to testimony from veterinarians.

We spoke with Dr. Emily Abraham, medical director of GoodVets in Miami, who has treated five dogs with the disease in the last month, to tell us all about this unusual disease.

Most veterinarians who have treated the disease agree that the symptoms are very similar to a cold, which can develop into what is known as kennel cough, which is common in kennel dogs.

Symptoms doctors see in dogs with the disease include lethargy, discharge from the eyes and nose, coughing and difficulty breathing. Some dogs have milder symptoms that last several weeks.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture first received more than 100 written reports from veterinarians about the disease in August. As cases spread further west as time went on, the San Diego Humane Society temporarily stopped accepting owner-surrendered dogs until next month to prevent further spread.

In addition to the classic symptoms of a cold, pet owners should also pay attention to the small signs that dogs show before the illness turns into a severe cough.

“If they’re clogged, the puppy won’t eat because smell is so important to puppies,” adds the veterinarian. “If one day he gives you a little cough, make an appointment to see the vet. “The sooner treatment starts, the sooner the problem can be resolved, and the longer we wait, the more complicated things get. “

Because veterinarians have not determined whether it is a viral or bacterial disease, they cannot develop a universal cure for the disease. But most people agree that basic tests should be done to assess your pet’s health.

“First we take movies to see how the lungs are doing, because this could turn into pneumonia, and then we do blood tests to see what’s going on with the white blood cells and the immune system,” Abraham said.

Another way to know what type of bacteria or virus they are dealing with is to conduct tests similar to those performed on humans during the Covid 19 pandemic.

“In some cases, we’re finding it’s a combination of the animal being infected with Bordetella or coronavirus and other respiratory illnesses,” Abraham said.

Veterinarians and pet owners are concerned that dogs are not responding after 10 days of antibiotic treatment, and many dogs are dying from complications of the disease.

Dr. Abraham said she followed different treatment regimens on the five dogs she treated, and all of them are still alive.

“The cases I’ve seen in the last month have all required more treatment, at least 20 or 21 days of antibiotics,” the doctor said.

The vet said it’s a disease and you have to be patient. He commented that many times pet owners become frustrated because they do not see immediate results from their medications and change treatments or veterinarians without giving the program a chance to act.

“Sometimes it’s caused by a virus, sometimes it’s caused by bacteria. In any case, it would be beneficial to keep him on long-term antibiotics, even if he no longer has a cough, at least a week after the cough goes away, but it depends on the situation,” explains Abraham road.

Additionally, it’s important to be aware of other discomforts caused by your pet’s severe coughing, such as a sore throat. Abraham, who also practices integrative medicine, recommends Manuka honey, which is known as a “superfood” and can treat many ailments, including allergies, colds, flu, gingivitis, sore throats, staph infections and multiple illnesses. types of wounds.

“It’s an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, and I give them a quarter of a teaspoon when they cough, and it helps them control their cough and inflammation of their trachea and bronchi,” Abraham explains.

The medical director of GoodVets in Miami commented that constant observation of pets is very important because this condition results in the animal having lower defenses, which may predispose it to other diseases.

If you have multiple pets and one of them shows symptoms of this disease, it is very important to separate him from the other pets as it is highly contagious.

Dr. Abraham recommends temporarily limiting social interactions with other dogs. “At the moment, with infection rates rising, my advice is that they don’t take their dogs to parks or restaurants to socialize. “Keep them at home.”

In addition, Abraham recommends ramping up dog vaccination programs with Bordetella shots every six months and annual flu shots for all patients.