Vermont Dog Owners on Alert As Deadly Respiratory Infection Circulates Among Pets
This highly contagious infection still has an unknown cause.
Social settings like dog parks and public parks can make great spots for dogs to play, especially with other pups. Unfortunately, though, any public setting comes with its risks. You never know how other dogs were raised or whether the area itself is safe--but now there's an invisible danger, too.
Pet owners and veterinarians in Vermont are becoming increasingly concerned after more and more dogs are coming down with a serious, mysterious respiratory condition. As WCAX reports, Vermont veterinarians like Burlington Emergency & Veterinary Specialists alone has seen 21 cases of the mystery illness, with 2 of them proving fatal.
If this frightens you, you're not alone. The entire world found out what it's like to live with a contagious illness spreading around just a few years ago, so it's easy to understand why a dog owner would be worried.
Dr. Erin Forbes of the Mountain View Animal Hospital told WCAX, "a lot of times we will see kennel cough go around. It will be dogs that get boarded or go to the dog park. But I am seeing this in dogs that stay home and don’t go anywhere." That means that this illness is incredibly contagious, and it doesn't help that vaccines are not effective at preventing or treating the infection.
Luckily, Vermont veterinarians are learning more and more about the illness every day. As Dr. Forbes explained, this mystery infection has symptoms that include:
- sneezing
- eye discharge
- foamy saliva
- lack of appetite
- fever
- cough
Until more is known, pet owners in the area are advised to keep a close eye on their dogs' health. Please don't hesitate to keep them home from boarding or daycare, too--especially if there have been any reports of illness in a facility. Staying up to date on vaccinations is a great way to keep dogs safe, too, though there is still a lot to learn about this mystery illness.
