Pet Lovers

[Mindy D]

There's a mystery disease affecting dogs here in the U.S. it is highly contagious and begins as a cough, similar to kennel cough but it progresses to a much longer lasting cough and pneumonia. The organism causing the disease has not been identified yet, but swab testing is leading veterinary researchers to believe it is caused by an exceptionally small bacterium that is newly discovered to be a pathogen. It has not responded to antibiotics, but the researcher is saying it might respond to doxycycline but they don't know yet. The experts on emerging veterinary disease is asking owners to avoid taking dogs to places where there are other dogs, including the groomers, for now. 

.According to Oregon’s expert, "Cantu-Schomus, the dogs’ illnesses largely develop in three ways:  

• As an inflammation of the tubes that connect the throat to the lungs that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.
• As chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.
• As acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and often leads to severe illness or possibly death in as little as 24 to 36 hours."

If a dog has a cough that won’t quit and other respiratory symptoms, it’s recommended that the owner contact a veterinarian."

"Normally, to determine what antibiotics might work best against a particular type of bacteria, labs grow the bugs in a petri dish and then try to kill them with various medications. Needle and his colleagues have not been able to grow the new bacteria in the lab. Nevertheless, its structure offers some clues about which medications might be the best choice to fight it, he said. The antibiotic doxycycline may be effective, he suggested."

[BlueFinch]

Yes, this is definitely worrisome. We need to take precautions. What next!

[Marp]

@Mindy D,  since you like to get to the nuts and bolts of medical issues check out my post on this thread: 

https://community.qvc.com/t5/Pet-Lovers/Mystery-illness-killing-dogs/m-p/8217652#M148734

[Mindy D]

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@Marp wrote:

@Mindy D,  since you like to get to the nuts and bolts of medical issues check out my post on this thread: 

https://community.qvc.com/t5/Pet-Lovers/Mystery-illness-killing-dogs/m-p/8217652#M148734

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@Marp @Thanks. I read the article. I just read a subsequent article which included input from Dr. Needle too. I also read his biography and looked at a list of all of his research publications. He knows his stuff. 

[Kachina624]

https://community.qvc.com/t5/Pet-Lovers/Mystery-illness-killing-dogs/td-p/8213787#M148723 

[Another new name Sue]

With the dog boarding taking place because of Thanksgiving, it would be wise to avoid group settings of dogs for a few days or longer if possible, starting now.  And if you need to get care for your dog over the holidays, see if you can arrange care in the home.