ATLANTA, GA. – A new mysterious canine respiratory illness has been a major concern for many pet owners across the country.
According to Kristyn Pilgrim, ManyPets PR leader, the search term “dog virus 2023 symptoms” has seen a 1,150% increase in the past seven days. The top states searching this query are Oregon, Washington, Indiana, Colorado and Arizona.
“It’s concerning to note that the current outbreak of respiratory disease in dogs seems to not be testing positive for known diseases on our common infectious disease testing methods (namely PCR)”, says Veterinary surgeon, Dr. Kirsten Ronngren, DVM MRCV. “There’s still a lot that we as a profession are learning as these cases continue to rise and dogs are developing significant diseases”.
Dr. Ronngren and the ManyPet’s team recommend these helpful tips for pet owners for the coming holiday season.
Contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice your dog has any respiratory symptoms such as coughing, nasal or eye discharge, lethargy, etc. Avoid letting your dog spend time with other dogs that display these symptoms.Ensure your dog is up to date on their vaccinations for common respiratory pathogens, kennel cough, canine influenza and the distemper/parvo combo vaccine.Avoid densely populated areas such as dog parks and groomers. These diseases are often spread via direct contact. Avoid boarding kennels and if you plan on traveling this holiday, its recommended that you find a pet sitter or family member.
For more information and other resources, head to manypets.com