- cross-posted to:
- news@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- news@lemmy.world
Veterinary laboratories in several states are investigating an unusual respiratory illness in dogs, and encouraging people to take basic precautions to keep their pets healthy as veterinarians try to pin down what’s making the animals sick.
Oregon, Colorado and New Hampshire are among the states that have seen cases of the illness, which has caused lasting respiratory disease and pneumonia and does not respond to antibiotics. Symptoms of respiratory illness in dogs include coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge and lethargy. Some cases of the pneunomia progress quickly, making dogs very sick within 24 to 36 hours.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture has documented more than 200 cases of the disease since mid-August. It has encouraged pet owners to contact their vet if their dog is sick and told state veterinarians to report cases as soon as possible. The agency is working with state researchers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory to find out what is causing the illnesses.
Dogs have died, said Kurt Williams, director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University. But without a clear way to define the disease or test for it, he said it’s hard to put a number on how many died from a severe form of the infection.
I wonder if they’ve tested the dogs for COVID. I know there were some concerns early on about whether or not dogs could get COVID; but now I’m wondering if it’s possible COVID has made the jump to dogs.
I’m very concerned that it could be a new strain of avian flu which has already shown up in European fox farms as well as domestic cats.
I think it was confirmed near the start that dogs could get it.
I don’t remember when but I remember stories about dogs and cats getting covid.
I’ve only seen reports of animals testing positive for Covid, but not reports of any symptoms. Although there was a recent case of a woman who was believed to have caught c-diff from her cat.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361908-lion-infected-with-covid-19-probably-passed-it-on-to-two-zoo-workers/
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231030/Human-to-lion-COVID-transmission-confirmed-Singapore-study-rings-alarm-bells-for-endangered-species.aspx
If you look up " Lion infected with COVID " there’s plenty of examples of this happening since 2020. Even big cats were catching, and subsequently spreading COVID back to humans and other cats.
It kinda sounds like these dogs have some sort of other illness that’s being spread around, but its definitely possible for other mammals to catch covid and get sick. Sounds like it sucks regardless of your size or species.
Do you remember when the Chinese were killing their pets in the thousands to stop them passing on COVID?
Good point. I’m sure the medical professionals didn’t think of - what did you call it? Covid? - during their medical evaluation of respiratory disease.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Bit of a dick today, aren’t we?
deleted by creator
It says it does not respond to antibiotics.