DURHAM, N.H. — University of New Hampshire researchers have identified a potential cause for a mysterious respiratory illness affecting dogs nationwide.
According to WCVB Boston, the team, through genetic sequencing of dog samples from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, discovered traces of a previously uncharacterized bacteria. This bacterium, believed to be part of a dog’s normal microbiome, may have evolved to cause this illness, which is resistant to standard treatments.
Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, and lethargy in affected dogs. While mortality rates are low, the disease’s resistance to common treatments raises concerns. This discovery opens new avenues for research, with UNH planning to analyze samples from other states.
Currently, incidents of this canine illness have stabilized in New Hampshire, with no alarming trends or fatalities reported in Massachusetts.
