Pennsylvania dog owners take precautions as mysterious illness continues to spread

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Dog owners in Pennsylvania are taking steps to protect their pets as a mysterious respiratory illness, which can sometimes be fatal, impacts dogs across the country.

The illness is respiratory-related and is believed to affect older dogs and puppies the most because they either have weakened or developing immune systems.

Kelly-Anne Flynn of Warminster, Pennsylvania told Action News she was scared for her dogs Philo and Penelope. Flynn said she was keeping away from other dogs and the Warminster Community Park because she didn't want to put their health at risk.

READ | New concerns respiratory dog illness could spread as families travel with pets for holiday

"We usually let them in there and they'll run around and do their thing because my guys like to run but now we go up and down the tarmac," Flynn said. "I just don't want them to get sick."

Ruth Peters said she was taking the same precautions to protect her dog, Walter.

Initially, she said she didn't think much of the illness. But after she read about a dog that died after becoming sick, she decided to keep Walter away from other dogs for the time being.

"I want to protect him. I want to keep him as safe as possible," she said.

Veterinarians have struggled to pinpoint what exactly the illness is and where it comes from.

It's also been hard for them to keep up with it because there is no centralized reporting of confirmed cases.

Dr. Asal Caskey, a veterinarian at Spring Mill Veterinary Hospital in Conshohocken, says there were no confirmed cases in Pennsylvania as of yet.

However, she urged dog owners to think about taking precautionary measures to keep their pets healthy because there are few medications available to treat the illness.

"This new respiratory illness, which I think they are presuming at this point is viral, is not responding to any treatments," Dr. Caskey said. "It's not here yet. So, what I'm telling clients is just be cautious."

Dr. Deborah Silverstein at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School said the illness could be a resurgence of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex, also known as kennel cough, or something entirely new.

She suggested dog owners be on the lookout for symptoms that are similar to kennel coughs, like bouts of coughing, sneezing, eye and nasal discharge, and lethargy.

She said symptoms should clear up in most dogs in one to two weeks, but emergency care may be needed if dogs present more severe complications.

Barb Dalglish of Holland, Pennsylvania said at the moment, she wasn't overly concerned for her dog's wellbeing but there was a level of concern for her when considering the fatal aspect of the illness.

"Well I think it's scary, especially because I love my dog, but I think you just need to be careful," she said.

As people continue to travel during the holiday season, experts urge dog owners to talk to their groomers and daycare providers to figure out what precautions they have in place to keep their pets safe and healthy.