Dogs are suffering from a mysterious disease across the United States, with cases recorded in at least 16 states, according to the latest statistics from the Louisiana State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Cases of atypical canine infectious respiratory disease complex (aCIRDC), as it has been called until the cause of the disease is known, have recently been identified in dogs in 14 states in late November. It has also occurred in Pennsylvania and Nevada. This was previously recorded in 11 states.
Other states with confirmed cases are California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The state is Washington.
said Mike Stepien, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. newsweek The agency is “currently working with animal health authorities and diagnostic laboratories in multiple states regarding reports of a rare and rapidly fatal respiratory disease in dogs,” but added that “the cause of the disease has not yet been definitively identified.” “No,” he said.
The disease was first recognized in Oregon earlier this year, and the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association said it had received 200 reports and that cases appeared to be concentrated around the Portland area.
As a local dog doctor once told me, newsweek There appears to be little evidence of an outbreak, and some holiday dog events have been canceled for fear of spreading the disease, while health officials are urging owners to limit their dogs' interactions.
The disease then appeared in states across the West Coast, and later on the East Coast and Great Lakes region.
Dogs with this disease are said to exhibit symptoms such as cough, fever, and fatigue. Some people develop pneumonia, which can even lead to death.
LSU College of Veterinary Medicine experts say that because the cause of the disease is unknown, current treatments are limited to addressing the symptoms, and urge pet owners planning to travel for the holidays to make sure their dogs are properly cared for. He urged people to check whether they have been vaccinated and to “take special precautions.” When considering whether to bring it to another state.
It added: “At this time, there is no evidence of zoonotic potential (no evidence of animal-to-human transmission).”
The University of New Hampshire's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory has sequenced the genes that cause the disease in 30 infected dogs in the state in 2022 and 40 more in Rhode Island and Massachusetts this year. They announced that they may have identified a possible bacterium. Year.
David Needle, chief pathologist at the Diagnostic Laboratory, told NBC News that the isolated microorganisms are “weird bacteria” because they are smaller than normal bacteria and do not have cell walls.
LSU said his team will then receive samples from Oregon and additional samples from Colorado and Illinois to isolate common causes of the disease.
the needle said before newsweek The most likely hypothesis was that the disease was caused by members of the “normal community of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in the respiratory tract,” but had developed a “pathogenicity-associated agent.”[d] Genes/Traits. ”
Stepien said the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service “understands the concerns of pet owners regarding the increase in respiratory illnesses in dogs,” but that these cases are due to animal diseases the agency regulates. However, because of this, “we do not have systematic monitoring information such as numerical values.'' The number of cases nationwide, or when these cases started. ”
“We will continue to support states with testing as needed, but our support role will be limited to testing and working with partners,” he added.
Updated December 14, 2023, 3:00 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to include comment from a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
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