Researchers believe dog illness is caused by bacterial infection

Veterinarians like Dr. Kristie Welsh see dogs with respiratory sickness all the time.

But recently, she feared one dog might have been Lee County’s first case of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex, better known as the “mysterious dog disease” that started to sweep across the country in November.

“She was hospitalized for several days, was on oxygen, was on IV fluids, and they actually administered chloramphenicol,” Dr. Welsh said. “And the owner said that once they did that, she improved.”

This proved not to be a confirmed case, but the disease is in Florida.

However, a new discovery over the Thanksgiving holiday helped researchers pinpoint a possible cause of the illness: a funky bacterium. Now, they hope they can develop a viable treatment.

But until that treatment is widely available, Dr. Welsh said pet owners should take extra precautions, especially during the holidays.

And dog lover, dog owner, and owner/instructor of Bark Place, Jennie Curtis, agrees. She took matters into her own hands and sent an email to her clients that outlined the steps she was taking from here on out.

“We’re following all of the precautions, cleaning protocols, we’re watching dogs as they come in to make sure they don’t have any symptoms,” Curtis said. “No runny eyes, no runny nose, no coughing. We obviously wouldn’t let them come or stay if they were showing those signs. And then, you know, educating the pet parents as to what they need to look for, what they need to do.”

Her goal is to help calm fears, especially as she is fully booked this holiday season. And that’s why she shared the information with her clients, to assure them that she’ll take care of their dogs as if they are her own.

Dr. Kristie Welsh said that is exactly what businesses should do. And if they aren’t openly transparent, pet owners should make sure to ask. If you still have fears, she said it might be best to just avoid possible contact with other dogs altogether.

“I don’t want to scare people,” she said. “It’s just making them aware that there could be a possibility of exposure. Grooming, daycares, boarding is a big one. I mean, even dog parks, they’re saying just still limit at this point until we find out more.”