Posted on 11/25/2023 12:54:54 PM PST by EBH
An upper respiratory infection has been sickening dogs across the country, sometimes leading to acute pneumonia and death might now be at bit more understood.
According to Dr. David Needle and colleagues at the University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, note a mysterious respiratory illness that has sickened at least hundreds and perhaps as many as thousands of dogs across the country could be caused by a new type of bacterial infection that may be very good at evading the canine immune system, as well at least some antibiotics.
In a development that might help shed light on the illness, researchers at the University of New Hampshire’s Veterinary Diagnosis Laboratory and the Hubbard Center for Genome Studies say they have identified a pathogen that might be what’s making pets sick.
Through a genetic sequencing of samples from an initial group of 30 dogs from New Hampshire who were infected last year and then an additional 40 from Rhode Island and Massachusetts who got sick this year, the researchers say they have discovered a previously unknown germ.
The pathogen is “a funky bacterium,” Dr. Needle has said in press reports. “It’s smaller than a normal bacterium in its size and in the size of its genome. Long story short, it’s a weird bacterium that can be tough to find and sequence.”
While much still needs to be learned and this work is not considered by many to be definitive, if Dr. Needle is correct, a new strain of dog flu, or another viral cause can now be ruled out. What’s also unknown is how resistant the bacterium is to antibiotics. For example, will some types of antibiotics be effective?
The illness tends to begin with a cough, lethargy and inappetence and in some dogs worsens to pneumonia and some of these dogs suffer an acute onset and may succumb. The illness tends to equally hit any dog of any age or any breed or mix. It’s transmissible from other dogs – so keeping dogs away from other dogs is suggested. This means no dog day care, no boarding, no dog parks, and being anti-social when encountering other dogs on the street. It’s no yet understood exactly how contagious this is – for example do dogs need to sneeze on another dog? Can a dog get this illness from just sniffing where another dog has previously sneezed?
So far, there are no reports of human illness or any transmission to cats or any other species, it does appear to be canine specific.
ABC Report
https://youtu.be/6tpwCd0DzGs
A mysterious and potentially fatal respiratory illness in dogs has been reported in many states across the country. Thus far, veterinarians have yet to specifically identify the illness or even to know exactly how to treat it.
The mysterious respiratory illness appears to begin with a fever, cough and lack of appetite and can worsen quickly – even if treated, as antibiotics don’t appear to typically work. Often, the illness transforms into a severe pneumonia which dogs have succumbed.
No one – to date – knows if antibiotics are to a great extent ineffective because the illness is viral (and not bacterial) or if it is antibiotic resistant. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the illness can last up to six to eight weeks.
Whatever the illness might be – its quickly spreading east across the country, though Oregon appears to be particularly hard-hit by the illness. Many experts suggest the spread will worsen as a result of holiday travel as dogs themselves move across the country. Some state veterinary associations are warning against boarding or kenneling dogs over the holidays (which is, of course, easier said than done) and even cautioning against visiting dog parks. Most certainly, all suggest an urgency to being up to date on vaccines for respiratory illnesses.
Since mid-August, the Oregon Department of Agriculture has received reports of over 200 cases of the illness from veterinarians in the state. It’s not known how many dogs have died.
In its press release, the Oregon Department of Agriculture noted that the illness can progress in three ways: a mild to moderate cough for six to eight weeks or longer that either doesn’t respond to antibiotics or only responds a little; chronic pneumonia that doesn’t respond to antibiotics; or severe pneumonia that “often leads to poor outcomes in as little as 24 to 36 hours.”
Our beloved dog died last winter after a long coughing illness. He had the cough for months. Then he suddenly developed pneumonia and died. He was 14, but he was a smaller breed that usually lives considerably longer.
Still miss him.
The Chinese do eat dog meat.
So did Obama.
Question is, will we discover this is yet another bioengineered pathogen? Or perhaps a mutational strain from the Covid-19 bioengineered virus?
WHAT could be causing this? It can’t be humans.
Took my 6 year old yellow lab to the vet today for his bordetella & parvo. Vet says they haven’t had it in our area, but its just the matter of time. They had a note on their door instructing you to stay in your car & call their number. The vet said respiratory issues in dogs is common & this new variation mimics the others so its tough to diagnose & treat.
“WHAT could be causing this?”
Has anyone been following Fauci’s schedule lately? We all know how he enjoys torturing puppies; maybe this is his newest endeavor.
Hmm... I wonder if this is a mycoplasma or a rickettsia species. Either one of those causes illness. Usually mycoplasma and rickettsia respond to antibiotic treatment, but a newly discovered species might be resistant to current antibiotics.
Why does it have to be a bioengineered pathogen?
It seems to me that you think scientists are capable of doing a LOT more than we can really do. I know, in science fiction shows, scientists can do anything in just days. In real life, it’s not that easy.
The supreme bioengineer is nature. That’s really all we need to know.
Maybe it escaped from his Cali biolabs. 🤔
I was about to post ... IBTFR$$s deny this could ever happen...but, alas, I see I am too late!
😂
Any new canine vaxxes been approved lately...?
Has anyone been following Fauci’s schedule lately? We all know how he enjoys torturing puppies; maybe this is his newest endeavor.Not just any puppies ... beagle puppies. Mine's just 15 months. As if we needed another reason to compare him to Mengele.
Zoonotic Transmission of Vaccine-Derived Bordetella bronchiseptica
Family whose dog survived mystery illness killing canines across the U.S. reveal the 'last-resort antibiotic' that saved their beloved pet"To combat the vicious disease, which has been plaguing dogs across the U.S., the couple chose to use chloramphenicol - a drug typically used for superficial eye conditions in humans.
While it is approved for use on dogs and horses its typical use is for gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and urinary bacterial infections.
To the couple's surprise, the antibiotic worked significantly improving Ike's breathing and he was discharged from the hospital just days later."
Chewy is already sold out of chloramphenicol, so it must be working.
So very sorry for the loss of your beloved dog. 😢💔
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.