A mysterious dog illness is infecting canines across the country and veterinarians are urging pet owners to take precautions.
Dr. Melissa Thompson with the Arizona Humane Society says, unfortunately, vaccines won't necessarily protect your pet from this respiratory illness.
"Because again, we don't know exactly what it is," Dr. Thompson said. "But the best thing to do is make sure your pet is vaccinated."
The American Veterinary Medical Association says there have been reports of it in over a dozen states. While the exact numbers are unknown, Oregon has reported over 200 cases.
According to the Arizona Department of Agriculture, there have been two suspected, but not confirmed, cases in Arizona.
What makes the illness concerning is veterinarians say dogs aren't responding to treatment. The Colorado Department of Agriculture says in rare cases, "canine patients progress quickly from pneumonia to death."
"We don't know exactly, is this a regular respiratory issue that is just a little bit tougher than normal?" Dr. Thompson said. "And also it depends on the type of dog that gets it, right? So, if we have a really old dog or a really young dog, their immune system isn't as strong as it could be, so they might not be able to fight it off as easily."
Dr. Thompson says coughing, sneezing, tiredness, and loss of appetite are all symptoms to look out for. The disease is believed to be airborne and transmitted through contact. Dr. Thompson recommends not sharing water bowls with other pets you don't know and using caution when taking them to doggy daycare or the park.
“Probably don’t stop and sniff every dog you come across, probably want to keep a distance, but it’s still good for dogs to get their exercise and get out and move around," Dr. Thompson said.
Dr. Thompson says all animals at the Arizona Humane Society shelter are OK.
For pet owners in the Valley, it's best not to panic.
"You have to use your discretion," Thompson said. "If your pet seems sick, don't take them other places. But as of right now, just a close monitoring of the situation."
Just like with people, there are other respiratory illnesses in canines going around right now, which is what makes this illness hard to pinpoint. If you see any symptoms in your pet, she recommends calling your veterinarian right away.
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