DENVER — It’s been about a month since I started noticing my heeler mix, Ernie, was getting sick. It started with sneezing and a dry cough, which were easy to clear.
About a week later the cough started to get wetter, almost irritating. Then my usually rambunctious sheepdog became lethargic and stopped eating. That’s when I knew something was wrong, and it got to the point where he needed to see his vet immediately.
Since Ernie was diagnosed with new mysterious respiratory disease infecting dogs Across the country, the issue has gone viral – pardon the pun.
The illness has received national attention, with local and national media reporting that pet parents have been blindsided by the fact that their otherwise healthy dogs have become very ill. Some even died from the disease.
Local News
Colorado Vets Warn of Widespread Respiratory Infections, Pneumonia in Dogs
8:50 p.m., November 9, 2023
I followed up on the original story, after hearing from pet parents and veterinarians. Many veterinarians are adopting new prevention measures in their clinics as they work to learn about this disease.
Evolution Veterinary Specialists in Lakewood has seen a steady influx of new cases, with an average of five cases per week requiring extensive care and hospitalization.
“Some of our patients come in with a fever of 105 or 106 degrees Fahrenheit,” said Dr. Nicole Trenholme, EVS medical director. “They’re having a really hard time breathing. Their tongues are turning purple because they’re not getting enough oxygen…and some of them are in such bad shape that they’ve even died from the disease. “
Experts are still unsure whether this illness is caused by bacteria, a virus, or another pathogen, but many dogs who have developed pneumonia have been prescribed antibiotics. It appears to be very contagious, which is why veterinarians suggest pet parents keep their dogs away from highly social places like dog parks and daycares for the time being.
EVS has flown in a respiratory specialist for a week to help with the cases they are seeing. They also adopted preventative measures now seen in many veterinary hospitals, such as more protective equipment, deep cleaning of rooms after exams and isolation units for known cases.
Experts fear it will be some time before we are able to identify this new pathogen and learn how best to combat it. For now, they’re pleading with pet owners to keep an especially close eye on their dogs.
“Dogs, they want to be happy to be with us, don’t they? Like they’re so much better than us as humans, and they try to hide their illness as long as they can ” said Trenholme. “And so, that’s something that unfortunately ends up being that we often see the disease when it’s a little more advanced, because they just want to be happy to see us. They don’t want to let us know that They feel bad.”
As for my dog Ernie, after two weeks of antibiotics, he seems to have turned a corner. He still coughs from time to time, but his energy and appetite have returned. I’m happy to say that it seems to be a success in this scary new trend.
Veterinary hospitals adopt new measures as mysterious dog respiratory illness spreads
