Expand / Collapse search
☰

Mysterious fatal dog respiratory illness reported in Georgia

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  November 28, 2023 6:31am EST
Health
FOX 5 Atlanta

Deadly dog respiratory illness in Georgia

Hundreds of cases of the mysterious respiratory illness that can be deadly to dogs have been reported in 14 states, including Georgia.

An unknown, contagious, and potentially deadly canine respiratory illness has been found in more than a dozen states, including Georgia.

The illness, which healthcare officials are trying to identify, reportedly began in one of the Western states over the summer. Cases have now been reported from Florida to California.

The American Veterinary Medical Association says the cause of the illness remains a mystery and that hundreds of cases have been reported. In Oregon alone, veterinarians and animal shelter owners say they've seen more than 200 cases of the illness since the middle of August.

It is not known how many cases have been found in Georgia. 

A map of the states where the dog respiratory illness has been found.

Speaking to NPR last week, veterinarian David Needle says the dogs affected by the illness surprisingly test negative for bacteria and viruses usually connected to the respiratory syndrome called "kennel cough."

Mike Lent, the medical director of the Encanto Animal Clinic, said that the cases seem different from the usual kennel cough he sees regularly.

"Normal kennel cough typically would last two to four weeks. These milder cases seem like they last six to eight weeks or longer," Lent said. "They're minimally or not responsive to antibiotics which kennel cough usually is."

Symptoms of the unidentified dog respiratory disease

Dog owners should look for sudden cases of chronic or acute pneumonia that seems not responsive to antibiotics or turns severe in about a day.

Affected dogs also could have sudden inflammation of their airways, difficulty or rapid breathing, fever, nasal or eye discharge, weight loss, a loss of appetite, and lethargy.

The exact cause of how the illness is spread is unknown, but at least one veterinary pathologist believes dogs catch it while they're breathing in the same air as an infected animal.

To prevent infection, pet owners should make sure their dogs have been fully vaccinated and avoid dog parks, pet stores, and grooming facilities as much as possible.