Dogs in New Hampshire have been dealing with a contagious respiratory illness.
“We are seeing a large number of dogs with any signs ranging from runny nose and eyes, coughing, up to labored breathing, high fevers,” explained Dr. Erin Crowley of the Veterinary Emergency Center of Manchester. “We are seeing dogs and we are tracing them back to kennels and day cares, groomers, anywhere where a large number of dogs are coming together.”
Antibiotics are prescribed for the illness. Some have been hospitalized from two to seven days. More than 99% of the dogs recover, but vets are finding dogs of all ages becoming very ill.
One dog, 8-month-old Wallace, became sick at doggie day care and was admitted Thursday with pneumonia. He’s now receiving nebulizer treatments.
The Veterinary Emergency Center of Manchester has seen about 300 cases of the aggressive illness in the past couple of months. Most of the phone calls to the 24-hour clinic have been from owners describing their dogs’ coughing or breathing issues.
Concern started around school vacation week in April, and the veterinarians attribute this recent spike to people leaving their dogs to go on vacation.
The illness is airborne, and because it is contagious, the clinic has set up a separate entrance to keeps sick dogs isolated.
Antibiotics are prescribed. Some dogs, like Wallace, are hospitalized from two to seven days.
“It’s a scary thing when your animal is sick,” Crowley said.