A mysterious respiratory disease is attacking dogs and veterinarians don’t know what it is.

An infectious canine disease is spreading across the United States, and researchers are working with at least four labs to uncover the cause. The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) has reported more than 200 cases of illness since mid-August, although fatal cases have been rare so far.

The mysterious illness is called “atypical canine infectious respiratory disease” (CIRDC) and is circulating in the Portland and Willamette Valley metro areas, but other cases have been reported in Colorado, Illinois and New Hampshire. Experts suspect the disease is much more widespread.

“In recent months, cases are being diagnosed more frequently and the course of the disease is different than usual, which surprises both pet owners and veterinary care providers. It is currently unknown whether these unusual cases are caused by a virus or bacteria, or a combination of both types of infection. said Dr. Michael Lappin, a board-certified veterinarian in internal medicine at Colorado State University (CSU) in a release .

Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, runny nose and/or eyes, and lethargy. The disease usually causes chronic tracheobronchitis in dogs, a mild to moderate chronic inflammation of the trachea; chronic pneumonia that responds “poorly” or not to antibiotics; or acute pneumonia that “rapidly becomes severe” and “often leads to poor outcomes” within 24 to 36 hours, according to the ODA.

According to American Veterinary Medical Association Dogs with CIRDC show similar symptoms of upper respiratory disease, but “routine respiratory diagnostic tests have been largely negative,” wrote Andrea Cantu-Schomus, ODA communications director.

Additionally, the disease is generally resistant to standard treatments, said Dr. David B. Needle, a pathologist at the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and associate clinical professor at the University of New Hampshire.

“If what we identified is a pathogen, it is likely that the bacteria is a host-adapted bacteria with a long history of colonization of dogs.” said Needle. An “evolutionary event” such as a spontaneous mutation or obtaining a gene from a different source could have made the bacteria virulent, he said.

The mode of transmission is still unclear, according to the University of Colorado, which said it was studying whether the disease was a new virus, bacteria or a “more pathogenic form of a known agent.”

ODA has engaged several emergency veterinary practices to begin widespread sampling of potential respiratory cases, which will be combined with PCR testing using generic primers, virus isolation, and rapid whole genome sequencing in hopes to diagnose an etiological agent. release .

ODA spokesperson asks veterinarians to report cases and recommends that pet owners consult their veterinarian if they suspect their dog is ill. “We suggest caution rather than worry” underlines the department.

“Due to the wide range of potential respiratory illnesses, there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation, and working with a veterinarian is the best way to ensure owners have accurate and appropriate information for their situation,” she said. he declares.

Dr. Stephen Kochis, medical director of the Oregon Humane Society, told the New York Times that doesn’t want people to panic because the number of cases reported to ODA represents a small number of all dogs in the state . “We’re not seeing an increase in respiratory illnesses outside of the usual expectation for pets to get respiratory illnesses.”

Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Director Dr. Kurt Williams told FOX 12 in an interview that people should avoid boarding their dogs, visiting doggy daycares, dog parks and all another place where dogs normally meet outside the same household, until the disease is cured. content.

Although this disease is unusual, “Periodic outbreaks of canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRDC) can occur in a dog population. . “At least nine different bacteria and viruses have been implicated as causes of CIRDC, which is transmitted through respiratory droplets,” the ODA said.

The ministry explains that cases of CIRDC occur more frequently in animals housed in settings such as shelters, boarding facilities or training centers, than in animals housed in private homes, particularly those with limited access to others. dogs.

The ODA’s instructions for protecting your pets are:

• Reduce contact with large numbers of unfamiliar dogs. As with other respiratory pathogens, the more contact your dog has, the greater the risk of encountering a contagious dog.
• Reduce contact with sick dogs. This can be harder to determine, but if a dog appears ill (coughing, runny nose, watery eyes), keep him away.
• Keep Sick Dogs Home and Seek Veterinary Care .
• Avoid communal water bowls shared by multiple dogs.
• Ask your veterinarian for advice on which vaccines your dog should receive . Common vaccines include dog flu, Bordetella and parainfluenza.
• If sick, consider giving your dog a PCR test to help determine the causative agent (viral/bacterial), if possible.