They investigate an outbreak of unknown respiratory disease in dogs in the US

of veterinarians USA they are investigating a Outbreak of unknown canine respiratory disease The area extends to different regions of the country, including the Northeast, Southeast, Pacific Northwest and Colorado, American Veterinary Hospital reports. University of Illinoisthey are investigating the epidemic.

“Until November 21, our doctors Veterinary University Hospital Chicago Medical District veterinary clinics have not observed an increase in canine respiratory disease cases,” they noted.

About the disease, they explain that the symptoms imitating kennel cough or canine infectious respiratory disease syndrome (canine infectious respiratory disease syndrome)Red Cross Society of China) because they exhibit significant respiratory symptoms, including coughing, sneezing, runny nose, lethargy, decreased appetite, and fever.

“Although The exact mode of transmission is unknown

Given that respiratory symptoms predominate and have been shown to Cases spread rapidly They noted that among dogs in community settings, direct and indirect contact (via respiratory droplets in the air and on shared surfaces) are thought to be the main drivers of transmission.

They also detail that, unlike the more common infections associated with kennel cough and CIRDC, These cases do not respond to standard veterinary treatment and may have long-term illnesses that may develop into pneumonia. Some of these cases respond to antibiotic treatment, supportive care, and oxygen, while others deteriorate rapidly.

“at the moment, We don’t know the true extent of this disease or death because we don’t have enough data, because symptoms overlap with other causes of lung disease and the putative infectious agent (or pathogens) responsible for the disease remains unknown. There are too few positive bacterial and viral samples collected nationwide to elucidate lung pathology and what causes some dogs to recover while others succumb to the disease,” they from the University of Illinois Veterinary Hospital warned.

according to Known transmission routes Respiratory diseases, symptoms and the main population of affected patients (dogs in close proximity to each other), thought this must be Viral and/or bacterial agents.

“To enhance our ability to identify causative agents, we Early diagnostic testing recommended (Including throat swabs and airway sampling). Empirical antibiotic treatment can confer resistance to microorganisms that must be characterized to better understand the disease and modes of transmission and ultimately help us better treat it,” they note.

Everything you need to know about unknown respiratory diseases in dogs in the United States

They recommended c from the hospitalIf your dog shows signs, contact your veterinarian Respiratory symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, runny nose, fever and loss of appetite as known cases spread rapidly in community settings.

Furthermore, they recommend retaining Dogs with symptoms are isolated from other dogs Minimize transmission, especially as research into this disease continues to advance.return They recommend vaccinating dogs

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Finally, they noted that consideration should be given to a Early diagnosis, because the cause of this disease is unknown. In this sense, they assure that, before starting treatment, it may be a good idea to perform diagnostic tests when the first symptoms appear.

“This is because Once treatment begins and the immune response is activateddiagnostic tests (e.g., PCR, respiratory culture, viral isolation) may not detect the virus or bacteria causing symptoms,” they concluded.