SEATTLE — Pet owners are growing increasingly concerned about reports of a mystery respiratory illness impacting dogs across the country. So, what's the status in Washington?
There have been no confirmed cases of a new illness in Washington state. However, over 200 cases of an unidentified illness have been reported in neighboring Oregon.
According to Washington State Veterinarian Dr. Amber Itle, while veterinarians in some regions of the country believe they are seeing a novel type of infectious disease, those reports are not being seen in Washington.
What do scientists know about this illness?
Dr. Amber Itle said these reports could possibly be attributed to underlying causes of disease.
"Every year, we actually do get reports of, you know, localized outbreaks of disease. Usually, it's kennel cough or some other contagious respiratory disease that appears in shelters or boarding facilities where animals are congregated. But so far here in Washington, we've only had two reports from private-sector veterinarians, and from what we can tell, they haven't had full workups," Itle said. "And even those cases that have had full workups on through diagnostic labs, we've been able to identify other underlying causes of disease, things that happen commonly whether that's respiratory from viral infection or bacterial infection."
Itle's main message to dog owners is there's "no reason to panic at this point."
Itle's job as a state veterinarian is to analyze trends and diseases and ensure nothing new enters the state, endangering pets and animals.
"We are really working hard to make sure we're monitoring the situation to make sure things don't change. But we really do need more data to really make a claim that we have a mystery illness. And so far, we just don't have the data to support that," Itle said.
However, if cases do come up where dogs have gotten sick and multiple treatments don't work, she and her team want to know about it.
"But if something's really out of the ordinary, and we've ruled out all of those common things, then yes, we really want to have an understanding of what that looks like. And we need to get the data to collect that," she said.
How to protect your dog
Up-to-date vaccinations are the best way to keep dogs healthy. Like in humans, vaccines in animals don't last forever.
"I'm a little concerned that we have some dogs in our state that are either under-vaccinated or not vaccinated at all. We need to take those steps to make sure we can protect our population here in Washington and take those steps to work with our veterinarian to make sure those boosters are given well in advance of boarding," Itle said.
Vaccine history might not be readily available for those who rescued their dogs. It is recommended that rescue dog owners work with their veterinarians to make sure the pet has a full vaccine regimen.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, dog owners are also advised to watch for symptoms like a persistent cough, coughing accompanied by nasal and/or eye discharge or lethargy. In these cases, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Itle said it's also important to bring your dog to the vet every year for an exam to rule out any other underlying issues.
"A lot of times, dogs that get respiratory infections have something else going on there," she said. "Maybe they're elderly, maybe they have cancer, maybe they have some kind of immuno-compromising disease that's predisposing them to respiratory disease."
Common treatments for respiratory illness
Veterinary Criticalist Dr. Annie Chih says current respiratory illnesses are being treated on a case-by-case basis. This may include rest and fluids and possibly cough suppressants or more extensive treatments like hospitalization, IV fluids, oxygen and antibiotics in some cases.
Diagnoses are based on a combination of symptoms and rule out other Canine Respiratory Diseases. PCR testing can also be performed to rule out other causes.
Holiday boarding at trusted facilities should be safe
Dogs will need to get the necessary vaccinations well in advance of any facility stays to build up their immunity to any circulating illnesses.
Elise Vincentini is the owner of Downtown Dog Lounge in Seattle and said she implemented a new policy on Tuesday as a precaution amid reports of the circulating respiratory disease. Dogs that have been out of the state in the last 30 days will not be allowed in.
"We're talking with local vets, too, to make sure we're doing what we need to do," Vincentini said.
She even has a plan for if a dog develops any symptoms during their stay. She says if she sees a dog coughing or experiencing any other symptoms seen recently, they will be put in private rooms and will be able to isolate.
"We don't know much about it, but we don't want to ignore it," Vincentini said.
Itle says while there is a reason to be cautious and take those steps, especially during this time of the year, it isn't time to panic.
"If you know that you're bringing in an animal from an area where we've had a known outbreak, then you know, sure, I don't think there's anything wrong with taking those extra steps and precautions," Itle said.
It's also important to remember that bringing dogs to boarding facilities is stressful, even when dogs are excited to be there. They are meeting many new dogs, it can often be loud and sometimes, it can be a new environment. And like in humans, being stressed is usually when viruses can take a toll.
Also, any dog showing symptoms should be isolated and not dropped off at a boarding facility, taken to dog parks or taken for any grooming services.
