Dog owners everywhere are concerned about a new mystery dog illness.
Veterinarians describe the illness as a respiratory disease that can cause coughing, sneezing and lethargy.
It starts out with symptoms similar to kennel cough where the dog will get a cold for two or three weeks and doesn’t go away.
They say it can sometimes lead to possible life-threatening pneumonia and does not respond to antibiotics.
Dr. Mike Hutchinson of Animal General in Cranberry Township tells the Big K Morning Show there is some good news.
“It has not been identified in Pennsylvania or Ohio yet, so it’s not in our area yet, thank goodness, but it started in Oregon but everybody’s worried about Thanksgiving because families are traveling and if you bring your pets it will be in all 50 states, believe me.”
Experts advise dog owners not to panic. He says to still walk your dog but try to avoid interacting with other strange dogs and dog parts.
Also avoid boarding if you can and consider rescheduling grooming appointments, to ensure your dog’s safety.
Just make sure your pets are up-to-date on vaccines, including those that protect against various respiratory illnesses.
Dr. Mike says a group in New Hampshire found a small bacterium that they believe may have mutated from the natural microbiome in the dog’s gut, but it’s still too early to know for sure.