An unusual respiratory illness in dogs has been reported in at least 14 states.
The mystery illness began circulating in parts of Oregon earlier this year, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
Officials had previously reported instances of the illness in 11 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island.
As of Monday, cases of the illness have also been reported in Maryland, Washington and Vermont.
Kurt Williams, director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University, told the Associated Press last week that some dogs have died, but that it's hard to determine the number that have died of a severe form of the illness without a clear way to define or test for it. Williams and the AVMA have been contacted for further comment via email.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture has documented more than 200 cases of the disease since the middle of August.
The agency is working with state research and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratory to determine what is causing the illnesses, and told state veterinarians to report cases as soon as possible.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture last week said it has received calls in the past two months from veterinarians reporting an "elevated number of canine respiratory disease cases in the state."
"The cases are presenting with prolonged coughing which can last weeks to months with minimal response to treatment," the department said in a news release. "In some cases, the dogs have progressed to contracting pneumonia and require hospitalization. In rare cases, the canine patients progress quickly from pneumonia to death."
David Needle, pathology section chief at the University of New Hampshire's Veterinary Diagnosis Laboratory, previously told Newsweek that the illness has been resistant to standard treatments and does not result in positive tests for common respiratory pathogens.
Needle added that while there was no evidence the illness had the potential to pass between animals and humans, there was "no evidence to dismiss this possibility completely."
Symptoms of the illness include coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge and lethargy. Dogs can also develop pneumonia that quickly becomes severe, making them very unwell within 24 to 36 hours.
The AVMA advises owners to ensure their dogs are up to date on vaccines, including those that protect against various respiratory illnesses and that they avoid contact with other dogs outside their household.
Owners are also urged to watch their dogs closely for any progressive coughing that may be accompanied by eye and/or nasal discharge. If those signs develop, they should consult a veterinarian immediately.
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