LA County reports 10 cases of mysterious illness making dogs sick

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles County health officials are investigating multiple reports of a mysterious respiratory disease that is affecting dogs across the country.

So far, the county has received 10 reports of dogs that have respiratory illness but tested negative on the respiratory panel that tests for common viruses and bacteria seen in dogs with similar symptoms, officials said.

The dogs' owners are being contacted to see where they may have become infected.

"We are communicating with federal and state entities to ensure coordinated efforts as we learn more from our ongoing investigations," said the county in a press release on Tuesday.

It's unclear what's causing the illness known as Atypical Canine Infection Respiratory Disease or aCIRD. Los Angeles-area veterinarian Ross Bernstein said it's basically a new strain of Kennel Cough that is not responding to treatments.

Health officials say given the lack of knowledge about the cause of the disease, vets and dog owners are being asked to be on the lookout for symptoms such as cough, sneezing, nasal discharge, and lethargy (lack of energy).

"Just in one clinic that I was at last week, we had three separate cases of young dogs getting very sick progressively worse, and they ended up having to be euthanized unfortunately," said Bernstein.

Veterinarians say dogs can develop acute pneumonia in just 24 to 36 hours.

If your dog is experiencing those symptoms, here's what you should do next:

• Contact your vet so your dog can be evaluated.

• Isolate sick dogs at home for a minimum of 28 days past the first day of the onset of illness, the county suggests. Dogs exposed to the sick dog should quarantine at home and away from other dogs for 14 days to monitor them for symptoms.

• Clean regularly and disinfect any surfaces.

• Keep the dog home and away from day care, boarding kennels, grooming facilities, and dog parks.

• If a dog gets sick after being boarded or being in a facility, take him or her to a vet. You should also call the facility and notify them about the illness.