by Veterinarians across the country are struggling to treat the growing number of dogs sick with a serious type of respiratory illness. At the same time, scientists are trying to figure out what is causing the current outbreak, how widespread it is and how many previously healthy puppies have become seriously ill or died.
Maple was a happy and healthy 7-month-old Australian Shepherd until last Saturday when she started coughing. Her owner, Adrianna Deffenderfer of Fontana, California, became frightened when the puppy’s cough progressed rapidly, keeping Deffenderfer awake all night.
“I was just holding her, trying to comfort her the best I could,” said Deffenderfer, 23. “I could tell she was scared too.”
The next morning at the vet, the young dog was tested for various respiratory diseases, all of which came back negative.
“The vet called me and told me that basically, because there’s no definitive proof of this disease yet, we don’t really know what’s causing it,” Deffenderfer said.
Maple was treated for bronchitis, given a nebulizer and a steroid injection, and had secretions removed from her lungs. She was also sent home with two different antibiotics.
Canine respiratory infections, especially canine flu, are common and often cause outbreaks in dog shelters and daycares. The current surge has spread to parts of the United States and Canada over the past year. This outbreak is different from common respiratory illnesses, experts say, because of the large number of cases severe enough to cause pneumonia.
In Colorado, the number of canine pneumonia cases increased 50% from September to November of this year, compared to the same months in 2022, said infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Lappin, director of the Center for the Study of Companion Animals of the State of Colorado. University School of Veterinary Medicine. According to Trupanion, a pet insurance company, claims data suggests that the number of dogs with serious respiratory illnesses is increasing in several states.
More dogs may be becoming seriously ill because they have been infected with multiple pathogens at the same time, including canine influenza, Bordetella (kennel cough) and mycoplasma pneumonia, said Dr. Deborah Silverstein, section chief. of emergency medicine and critical care at Ryan Veterinary Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania, similar to the tripledemic of Covid-19, influenza and RSV that affected people last fall and winter.
Is this a new bug?
There could be several reasons for the rally. Many dogs may have lower resistance to infections because pandemic-era restrictions kept them out of day care or boarding facilities and they were not exposed to circulating viruses or bacteria, experts say. Decreases in canine vaccination rates have also been reported. A recent study found that nearly half of dog owners are hesitant about getting vaccines for their pets.
“We have more dogs that have a lower level of resistance because they have had less exposure in recent years and have received fewer vaccines,” said Dr. Scott Weese, an infectious disease veterinarian at the Ontario Veterinary College. he said during an online briefing Thursday. “That means that with our normal respiratory disease, which is always there and circulating, we may see more illness and more spikes.”
Silverstein said it’s possible any of these factors could explain the increased incidence of a disease that makes some dogs fatally ill.
“It’s more than likely that some bug has changed in its virulence,” Silverstein said. “Just like Covid strains can be milder or more severe.”
Still, there is a possibility that there is a new bacteria circulating.
Scientists at the University of New Hampshire recently identified a new bacteria as a possible culprit. The findings are based on a small number of cases from New England states, so the results need to be confirmed in a larger, more geographically diverse sample of dogs.
Researchers at other centers, including Oregon State University, Colorado State University and the University of Pennsylvania, are also trying to identify the cause of the outbreak.
A major factor holding back research in the U.S. is that there is no single group that tracks pet illnesses. For example, CSU scientists are coordinating with the state veterinary office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other researchers to learn more about what’s happening in Colorado.
Another obstacle is that many owners cannot afford to take a sick dog to a veterinary hospital or specialty center, or even pay for diagnostic tests. In fact, the cost of treatment for the sickest dogs can range from $15,000 to $20,000, said Steve Weinrauch, Trupanion’s director of veterinary products.
Which dogs are most at risk?
Typically, brachycephalic or flat-faced dog breeds, such as French bulldogs or pugs, older dogs, or dogs with underlying lung disease, are at higher risk of developing pneumonia from a respiratory infection.
But at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Kate Aicher treated a cluster of cases of atypical canine respiratory disease in young dogs vaccinated in March and April of this year. What Aicher and her colleagues observed was a sudden onset of fever and a wide range of severity.
“1- and 2-year-old dogs that are well-conditioned and healthy are not expected to end up with pneumonia so severe that they need to be put on a ventilator and then die,” Aicher said. “Dogs are not expected to die despite aggressive care.”
Approximately 75% of Texas A&M dogs tested positive for a known pathogen. But in 25%, nothing was found in the tests, Aicher said.
So for Aicher, everything suddenly became personal.
Her 2-year-old Labrador developed a high fever and a disturbing cough. Aicher’s dog was hospitalized and fortunately recovered with treatment. The pup is now back home “running around like it’s a normal lab.”
Unfortunately, a dog of the same age and breed that came to the hospital for treatment did not survive, he said.
Aicher recalled that during a walk, his dog had made some subtle noises such as snorting and coughed once.
“In retrospect, those were probably the first signs and they didn’t set off any alarms,” he said.
It underscores the importance of owners knowing their dogs and recognizing when things seem wrong.
Symptoms of canine respiratory infection include:
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Cough.
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Sneezing.
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Red and watery eyes.
Many dogs will recover on their own. But if the dog has difficulty breathing or stops eating, it could be a more serious problem and should be taken to the vet.
With all the attention the unidentified disease is receiving in the news, and especially on social media, Dr. Cynda Crawford, professor of shelter medicine at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, is concerned that Owners panic if they don’t already. There seem to be so many cases in general.
However, “veterinarians working on the front lines in private practice are seeing increased numbers of dogs with respiratory illnesses, and some of those dogs are progressing to pneumonia,” Crawford said. “They report that the dogs don’t respond as well or as quickly to the normal standard of care.”
Meanwhile, Maple the Australian Shepherd appears to be improving and needs another chest x-ray to make sure the antibiotics are working.
“He can sleep all night and take naps,” says Deffenderfer. “We can train a little.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
