11/28/2023
As I am sure many of you know, there is a "mystery respiratory virus" going around in the canine community and many people have asked me questions about my thoughts.
Rumors have spoken that this mystery virus is a bacteria called Streptococcus zooepidemicus. I am creating this post for the same reason I created this business- to help as many dogs as I can in honor of my dog Ace.
In 2020, Ace was diagnosed with Streptococcus zooepidemicus and spent 14 days in the ICU. He was one of the lucky ones to pull through but the odds were slim and the treatment was 10's of thousands of dollars with no guarantee it would work.
So, to raise awareness, here are some things we DO know about this mystery illness:
-Streptococcus zooepidemicus presents like kennel cough but is resistant to the commonly used treatment, Doxycycline.
-It is very contagious.
-The disease progresses rapidly to pneumonia and can have long-lasting effects.
-This bacteria was once very rare and it is currently unknown why it is becoming more prevalent. The ICU doctor who saved Ace's life had never seen a case before and was calling doctors from all over the country to fix him.
What can YOU do?
-Limit exposure if possible from doggy daycare facilities, dog parks, and large boarding facilities.
-If your dog is symptomatic- call your vet from your car until they have a room available. This helps avoid the potential spread to otherwise healthy dogs in the lobby.
-Keep your dogs up to date on their vaccines and heartworm and flea and tick preventatives. Dogs undergoing treatment for heartworm disease or tick-borne illness are getting hit harder with the illness.
-Avoid nose-to-nose contact with dogs you don't know.
-If you suspect symptoms, call your vet and don't wait. It's what they are there for!
*To help keep my own dogs safe and healthy, I will not provide services to any dogs exhibiting respiratory signs. *
Good luck and stay safe and be smart out there. More information is being released every day, but we should all do our part to reduce the spread.
