A mystery dog illness that spread across the U.S. last year and can lead to serious or fatal respiratory problems is still under investigation, but cases are starting to slow, experts say.
The illness, which started to spread more widely in the summer and fall of 2023, causes coughing, sneezing and fatigue, among other symptoms, and can progress quickly to pneumonia. The dogs suspected to have it test negative for all of the typical causes of respiratory symptoms and often don't respond to treatment.
In a statement to TODAY.com, the American Veterinary Medical Association says that based on "conversations with various sources ... the number of cases are declining," adding that an "ebb and flow" of respiratory illness in dogs over the course of the year is common, similar to cold and flu season in humans.
The statement also explains that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has so far not seen that the rise in respiratory illness in dogs is linked to a new virus or bacteria.
A statement from the Animal and Plant Inspection Service, part of the USDA, confirms to TODAY.com that the state-led testing that the agency is helping coordinate "has not indicated the presence of a novel pathogen or single infectious cause among these cases."
Numerous veterinary diagnostic labs across the country are investigating the outbreak, from Oregon to Kansas to New Hampshire.
The APHIS spokesperson adds that the illness is not regulated by APHIS and therefore the branch doesn't have data on case numbers.
The Oregon Veterinary Medical Association also shared in an Feb. 14, 2024, update that "cases seem to be waning, if not back to normal," citing veterinarian Dr. Scott Weese'sWorms and Germs blog.
At last count, at least 19 states had reported cases of the illness, according to various expert groups. The AVMA explained in an earlier statement that the mystery dog illness is difficult to track because there's no national surveillance system.
In November 2023, veterinarians in critical care settings told TODAY.com that they'd seen dozens of cases since the fall.
Late last year, multiple groups including the Colorado and Oregon departments of agriculture, the AVMA, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued warnings about the mystery illness in dogs.
We dont know what is causing this situation, where dogs are presenting at veterinarians with what private veterinarians would call kennel cough, Rhode Island's state veterinarian Dr. Scott Marshall told NBC affiliate WJAR. Whats different about this situation is that dogs are presenting with little bit more severe signs, not responding to usual treatments, and unfortunately had a small number, still a number, of dogs that have succumbed to them.
It seems to happen very, very quickly to go from this cough thats just wont go away ... and then all of a sudden they develop this pneumonia, Dr. Lindsey Ganzer, veterinarian and CEO at North Springs Veterinary Referral Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, toldTODAY.com. She said she treated over a dozen dogs with what she believes is the condition between October and November 2023.
If your dog develops a cough, do not panic, the AVMA advises. But stay vigilant about its progression and your pet's overall health, and contact your vet right away if anything seems off.
Dogs with this mystery illness usually have coughing, sneezing, eye or nose discharge, are abnormally tired, and do not test positive for any common causes of canine respiratory illness, the Oregon Department of Agriculture noted in a Nov. 9 press release.
Typically, dogs with respiratory illnesses have a cough for seven to 10 days, but some vets saw an uptick in dogs with coughs lasting weeks to months that don't respond to treatment, the Colorado Department of Agriculture said in a Nov. 22 statement.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of this mystery illness outbreak was the high number of dogs who developed pneumonia. One Colorado vet, Dr. Michael Lappin, director of the Center for Companion Animal Studies at the Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine, told NBC News the number of canine pneumonia cases in the state rose by 50% between September and November 2023 compared to 2022.
Marshall estimated that Rhode Island saw at least 35 cases of the mystery respiratory illness, but it's hard to know exactly how many because not all cases are reported.
Dogs are most likely to contract it by being in close contact with numerous other dogs so places like doggy day care, dog parks, groomers or boarding kennels, Ganzer said. The illness seems to affect dogs regardless of age, size or breed, though dogs with snort snouts, like bulldogs and pugs, may be at higher risk.
Between mid-August and mid-November, the Oregon Department of Agriculture received reports of over 200 cases of the illness from veterinarians in the state but has had no additional cases to report since.
A Dec. 1 statement from the Washington Department of Agriculture said the state has received 16 reports of unusual canine respiratory disease. Two cases were confirmed as such.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture also shared in November that veterinarians in the state were seeing "double the number of cases than what is typically seen during a canine infectious respiratory disease outbreak."
The Wisconsin State Journal reported that between late October and December, clinics around the state saw six to 12 cases each, according to Dr. Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at University of Wisconin-Madison.
Dr. Amanda Cavanagh, head of urgent care services at Colorado State University James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, in Fort Collins, Colorado, told TODAY.com that this past summer she started seeing cases of dogs with coughs lasting several weeks or longer, and the trend continued into the fall. She estimated her caseload of coughing dogs doubled from October to November.
While dogs with a contagious cough are common in veterinary settings, Cavanagh noted that she normally sees cases decrease in the fall as temperatures drop and fewer dogs are gathering at parks. "But this year, the spike has stayed high," she explains.
In its original press release, the Oregon Department of Agriculture noted that the illness can progress in three ways:
Cavanagh witnessed all three scenarios play out at her hospital. Last fall, she said she saw more dogs than usual with a long-lasting upper respiratory infection who then developed pneumonia from a secondary bacterial infection.
Of the dogs she treated, she said most who developed pneumonia responded to antibiotics, and many with the long-lasting cough recovered with time and never got pneumonia. But of those who developed the severe pneumonia, some died or had to be euthanized.
"That really bad pneumonia, historically, is very, very rare. Maybe I would see one case a year," but last fall alone, Cavanagh saw a "handful," she said.
Because most states are not tracking case numbers, it's not known exactly how many dogs have died from the illness.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture tells TODAY.com that it does not know how many dogs have died from the illness in the state.
However, it is confirmed that some dogs in the U.S. have died from the mystery illness.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture said in a statement that "in rare cases, the canine patients progress quickly from pneumonia to death." Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences also said the illness has resulted in "some fatalities."
Ganzer and Cavanagh both have had several canine patients die from what they believe to be the condition. Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association President Shelly Pancoast told WJAR that she's seen five to 10 dogs die from the mystery illness.
We still dont have a great handle on how exactly we should be treating these dogs, Pancoast said. A vast majority of them are making full recovery, its just unlike anything weve seen in previous years with kennel cough."
According to various expert groups, cases that match the description of the mystery dog illness have been reported, officially or anecdotally, in:
This above list of states comes from the AVMA, the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association, the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine and the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Symptoms of the mystery dog illness include:
Related: What does coughing in a dog sound like? Vet explains in viral video
For many dog owners, the signs of coughing can be difficult to recognize, Dr. Michele Forbes, Dr. Michele Forbes, owner of Compassionate Care Hospitalin Ann Arbor, Michigan, says.
"Rarely do (dog owners) identify a cough until it becomes an overt problem and its clearly coming from the chest, Forbes explained in a now-viral TikTok.
As a result of owners not noticing coughing or confusing it for something else, like throat-clearing or gagging, some dogs are arriving at vet facilities in more advanced stages of the condition, which can make it more difficult to treat, Forbes told TODAY.com.
Some tips to help identify signs of coughing in dogs:
Other signs that your dog should see the vet, per the AVMA, include:
Dogs are most likely to contract the illness when in close contact with other dogs, so previous guidance was to keep dogs away from other dogs. But case rates have essentially returned to normal, Weese noted in his blog.
To keep your dog safe and healthy overall, the AVMA recommends keeping up to date with vaccinations. "While the existing vaccines may not specifically target this unknown infection, maintaining overall health through routine vaccinations can help support a dogs immune system in combating various infections," it said.
The AVMA stressed the following vaccines: Bordetella, Adenovirus type 2, and parainfluenza combined with the injectable influenza H3N2 vaccine.
Be sure to give your dog two weeks after vaccination before interacting with other dogs so they can build up immunity.
If your dog is sick, consult a vet as soon as possible, as early testing can help with treatment, and keep the dog away from other dogs to avoid spreading the illness, experts advise.
While it's unlikely a humans can get sick with the respiratory illness, because the cause is still unknown, the AVMA suggests thoroughly washing hands after handling any dogs.
Caroline Kee contributed reporting.
Maura Hohman is the senior health editor for TODAY.com and has been covering health and wellness since 2015.
The rest is here:
Mystery Dog Illness 2023: Symptoms and Prevention Tips From Vets - TODAY
- 4in1 flu vaccination can help protect from Swine Flu (H1N1) and three other flu strains - Times of India [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Two years on from our 'immune holiday', it's party time for germs. Here's why - Stuff [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Scientists hedging bets with mixed COVID vaccine for original strain and Omicron variants - Sky News [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- People aged 65 and over in Lothian to get winter booster jab as Scotlands winter vaccination programme gets under way - Edinburgh News [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- The U.K. Releases 55 Million Game Birds Every Year. This Group Says Not to Release Any Amid Avian Flu Fears - Outdoor Life [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Opinion | When Will the Pandemic End? And Other Pressing Questions, Answered - The New York Times [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- UArizona prepares for start of classes with resources on COVID, flu and monkeypox - University of Arizona News [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Thailand To Start Treating Covid Like The Flu From October - Travel Off Path [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Moderna plans single, annual shot for COVID, flu and other respiratory virus - WRAL News [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Got Flu? Heres How Long Youll Be Contagious - Health Essentials [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Extending dogs' lives, and sex and the immune system - MIT Technology Review [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- A fowl virus: What the bird flu means for PA agriculture and how to fight it - cityandstatepa.com [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- When is the Best Time to Get a Flu Shot This Year? - Healthline [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Scientists Have Re-Created The Deadly 1918 Flu Virus. Why? - Forbes [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Xofluza Approved to Treat and Prevent Flu in Children 5 to 12 Years Old - Everyday Health [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Colds and the flu ruin our winters. COVID isnt nearly as pickybut this could be changing - Fortune [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- COVID-19 still a factor in almost 11K deaths in N.Y. this year - Times Union [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Higher risk of vein blood clots in COVID vs flu patients - CIDRAP [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Experts debunk monkeypox myths as misinformation spreads - The 19th* [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Pets Corner forced to shut to limit bird flu spread after virus detected in two of the city's parks - Leicestershire Live [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Leicester peregrine falcon that lived at Leicester Cathedral dies amid bird flu outbreak - Leicestershire Live [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Poorest at risk of flu if they cant afford to heat homes, minister admits - The Independent [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Theres good news in the crowded field of Omicron subvariants: Bad Ned is (nearly) deadbut Aeterna and Centaurus are on the rise - Fortune [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Portland will test wastewater for monkeypox and other viruses - Press Herald [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Experts warn of spike in Swine flu cases in Delhi: Know what it is & why you should be concerned - Economic Times [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- It's going to be a complicated fall for Covid and flu vaccinations - STAT - STAT [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- When COVID-19 or flu viruses kill, they often have an accomplice bacterial infections - The Conversation [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Why is swine flu surging in Maharashtra? What are the symptoms? - The Indian Express [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- 3 cases of avian flu now suspected in Nunavut - CBC.ca [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Avian flu vaccination becoming less of a taboo topic - WATTAgNet Industry News & Trends [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Monkeypox transmission, vaccines and treatment | HealthFocus SA | University Health - University Health System [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Getting a Grip on Influenza: The Pursuit of a Universal Vaccine (Part 2) - Forbes [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Summer colds: this may explain why so many have suffered them this year - The Conversation [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- What is tomato flu? Very contagious virus detected in kids, docs warn - New York Post [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Flu Viral: Here Are The Most Common Queries Answered - NDTV [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Heres why you caught that summer cold, again - ThePrint [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- Getting a Grip on Influenza: The Pursuit of a Universal Vaccine (Part 3) - Forbes [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- What is the tomato flu? Scientists monitoring outbreak in India - FOX 35 Orlando [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- What to know about the tomato flu virus doctors are tracking in India - KRQE News 13 [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- Flu and COVID-19 do not belong to the same virus family - Rappler [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- 'Tomato Flu': Everything you need to know about the virus [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- Influenza - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- Fauci warns of bad flu season brewing as he nears office exit - The Peninsula [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- Why is swine flu seeing a resurgence in India this year? - Scroll.in [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- What to know about the tomato flu virus doctors are tracking in India - WATE 6 On Your Side [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- Omicron boosters targeting the BA.4, BA.5 subvariants are coming to Colorado. Here's what you need to know. - Denver 7 Colorado News [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- Will the Flu Arrive by October 2022? - Precision Vaccinations [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- Synthetic DNA nasal spray could stop COVID, flu, and other viruses - Freethink [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- Detection of a novel bird flu virus with pandemic potential - News-Medical.Net [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- 'Tomato flu' outbreak in India here's what it really is - Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2022]
- Covid-19: What NZ flu data is revealing about coronavirus - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2022]
- Flu and Covid jab programme starts ahead of 'winter wave of respiratory virus' - HeraldScotland [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2022]
- Flu & COVID-19 vaccines recommended amidst concerning seasonal trends - AustinTexas.gov [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2022]
- After a challenging winter with the flu and Covid, coughs and colds are due to 'take a holiday' - Stuff [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2022]
- Global Influenza Vaccines Market Analysis/Forecast 2022-2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Analysis by Vaccine Type, Virus Type, Technology, and Route of... [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2022]
- Chewing to curb COVID | Penn Today - Penn Today [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2022]
- Seriously, Flu Could Be Bad This Year - The Atlantic [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2022]
- New bird flu wave in France raises fears deadly virus here to stay - Reuters [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2022]
- Novid: Freaks or flu-proof? - Times of India [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2022]
- Hantavirus: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention - Healthline [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2022]
- Turkey prices are surging ahead of Thanksgiving due to disease - CBS News [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2022]
- Swine flu: Warning signs and symptoms, treatments, key precautions to avoid H1N1 - Hindustan Times [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2022]
- Bird Flu Has Arrived in the U.S. Earlier Than Expected - Healthline [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2022]
- Avian influenza in major production hub in the Netherlands - Poultry World [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2022]
- The great RTO/WFH war means COVID is really over this fall - Fortune [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2022]
- 'It looked like a triage in there': Riders ravaged by stomach flu in Banjo Bowl blowout - 3downnation.com [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2022]
- Is it a Cold or the Flu? - Onmanorama [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2022]
- Reconfiguring COVID and influenza vaccines for long-term effectiveness - - pharmaphorum [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Flu shot, COVID boosters, TPOXX treatments and more with Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH - American Medical Association [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Record flu surge predicted this winter as health experts urge people to get their shots - Cambridgeshire Live [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Bite-Size Science: A pandemic of the animal kingdom? Bird flu outbreak spreads to marine mammal populations - Tufts Daily [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Explainer: Everything you need to know about Swine flu - Hindustan Times [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Updated Boosters Are Optimized to Better Protect Against Newer COVID-19 Variants - University of Utah Health Care [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Ducks offer clues to avian influenza risk - MPR News [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Flu season is here: Symptoms, shots and side effects - Nebraska Medicine [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Why COVID Is Still Worse Than Flu - The Atlantic [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- How to get a booster shot at Yale and in New Haven - Yale Daily News [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2022]
- Campylobacter Gastroenteritis: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention - Healthline [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2022]
- Junior Museum and Zoo removes birds from view amid avian flu outbreak - Mountain View Voice [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2022]
- Dutch trials begin on bird flu vaccination in first year-round outbreak - DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2022]