DALLAS — The calls are flooding into CityVet - Oak Lawn with questions about a mysterious respiratory illness that has been found in dogs in other parts of the country.
“I have not seen any cases,” said Dr. Rachel Neese, one of their veterinarians. “To my knowledge, it is not yet in Texas.”
States like Oregon and New Hampshire are seeing multiple cases of this unknown disease. Other states that have possible cases include Colorado, California, Indiana, Illinois, Washington, Idaho, Georgia and Florida.
Texas has not made that list yet.
But Neese said she is still keeping a close eye on what’s happening across the United States.
“We need to be aware of the situation. We need to know what signs to look out for. And we also need to not panic just yet,” she said.
She said some symptoms of this illness include:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Nasal discharge
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
The disease, while unknown if it is a virus or bacteria, is presenting as kennel cough. However, Dr. Neese said those dogs are not responding to traditional kennel cough treatment. Kennel cough lasts about 10 days. She said this illness leaves dogs coughing for four to six weeks. In some rare cases, it can lead to death.
With the holidays, many people may be traveling with their pets. She said with dogs on-the-go, it is hard to prevent the spread of a contagious illness.
Many pets will also be boarded at facilities. “If you have to board your animal, if you are going out of town, make sure they are current on their vaccines for what we can prevent.”
She suggests limiting time at doggy daycares, dog parks and other places where pets can cough or sneeze on each other.
Overall, she tells dog owners not to panic. Keep an eye on your furry loved ones and take note of changes in behavior and health.
“If you are seeing symptoms, please bring your animals into the vet so we can take a look and make sure that they are okay and don’t need treatment,” said Dr. Neese.