A dog owner in Virginia fears her beloved Yorkshire terrier has died from a mysterious disease affecting dogs across the country.
Mitzi Neighbors believes two-year-old Brodie died of the disease after what she suspected was just kennel cough turned into pneumonia.
Brodie suffered from a mild cough to his lungs filling up so much with fluid that he could barely breathe and had to be placed in an oxygen chamber, Ms Neighbors said.
So far, more than 200 dogs in Oregon have tested positive since mid-August, as have dogs in Oregon Colorado, Illinois and New Hampshire.
However, experts believe that thousands of people in the US are affected because there are no tests for the disease.
Mitzi Neighbors believes her dog, a two-year-old Yorkie named Brodie, died of the disease after the kennel cough she contracted turned into pneumonia. He stayed at a boarding house while her family left town
Symptoms of circulating infection include coughing, sneezing, eye or nasal discharge and lethargy. Sometimes the disease progresses rapidly to pneumonia, which can cause difficulty breathing and loss of appetite
Symptoms are similar to kennel cough, an upper respiratory infection, but can last much longer and in some cases be fatal.
Last week Ms. Neighbors took her dog to a kennel in Roanoke, Virginia, for four days while her family went out of town.
“It’s a really good starting point,” Ms Buren said. “They have people there 24/7 to care for the dogs.”
When she brought Brodie home, she coughed a little.
“He had a slight cough, but nothing unusual.” It was a cough here, a cough there. That’s it,” she said. “The situation quickly deteriorated on Monday.”
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The family took Brodie to a local vet, who suspected he had severe pneumonia caused by kennel cough, for which Brodie was vaccinated.
Brodie was given antibiotics, but they didn’t help, so his family took him to the veterinary clinic.
“They said his lungs were so full that all he had left was a sac at the top of his lungs that wasn’t full.
“So they put him in an oxygen chamber and tried to help him breathe,” Ms. Neighbors said.
“And the next morning [they] called and said they had done everything they could and there was nothing more to do. So he had to be killed.’
Virginia is not considered a hotspot for respiratory infections, but dogs in other states such as Indiana, New Hampshire and Georgia have had similar symptoms.
Earlier this week, health officials urged dog owners to stay away from dog parks and avoid communal water bowls.
Oregon vets added that pet owners should also have dogs vaccinated and avoid travel.
They also recommended avoiding large gatherings with unfamiliar dogs, especially if the dogs appear to be sick. This includes daycare centers, parks, hair salons and guest houses.
Shared water bowls should also be avoided.
If your dog gets sick, he should be taken to the vet. Symptoms of circulating infection include coughing, sneezing, eye or nasal discharge and lethargy.
Sometimes the disease progresses rapidly to pneumonia, which can cause difficulty breathing and loss of appetite.
The disease is spread by airborne droplets when dogs sneeze, cough or bark.
There have been no reported cases of the disease spreading to humans.
Vets were unable to identify the disease because dogs did not test positive for common respiratory diseases.
The disease is also resistant to typical treatments, such as antimicrobial medications.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
