Canine community in Windsor on alert as dog Illness spreads stateside
A mystery respiratory illness is affecting dogs in at least 14 states — and while it hasn’t been confirmed in Canada, it’s perked the ears of local dog lovers.
Nicole McMillan has been a dog groomer in Windsor for over 30 years.
She said the dog community isn’t at the point of panic, but there is concern.
“We don’t want our dogs sick, much like we don’t want our family members sick,” she said.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, it has yet to be determined if the illness is viral or bacterial, or whether it may be a variant of kennel cough.
Symptoms include coughing, fever, lack of energy and lack of appetite.
In some cases, the illness has led to pneumonia and even death.
It also appears to be contagious.
So far cases have been confirmed in:
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
The Windsor-Essex County Humane Society said the illness is on their radar.
“Fortunately this is not something we’re seeing yet in this area, but it’s something we’re aware of and definitely watching for,” Executive Director Melanie Coulter told CTV News.
McMillan, who co-owns Loyal Companions Dog Grooming, said it hasn’t got to the point where her clients are expressing concern, but she’s already taking precautions.
“You clean a little bit more, your products, to combat bacteria that we know of,” she said.
“We work one-on-one with animals, which is a good thing so we can be sterile and clean an environment for them individually.”
She said it’s important to follow veterinary advice – but that this is not an entirely new scenario.
“We have seen some sort of illness in the dog community year after year,” McMillan said. “We’re not healthy, how do we expect them to be healthy?”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
DEVELOPING Alberta's request for federal assistance approved after fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
Jasper mayor says alert system to be reviewed after message 'glitch'
More than 25,000 people have been displaced from Jasper National Park since wildfires started to threaten the picturesque corner of Alberta Rockies on Monday, but the mayor of its namesake municipality says not everyone received an evacuation alert when it was sent out.
Canada's premiers forced to confront escalating climate change-related disasters
Many of Canada's provincial and territorial leaders remained consumed by climate change-related natural disasters that have only escalated since they met for meetings in Halifax last week.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Monday breaks the record for the hottest day ever on Earth
Driven by oceans that won't cool down, an unseasonably warm Antarctica and worsening climate change, Earth's record hot streak dialed up this week, making Monday the hottest day humans have measured.
Prince Harry says lawsuits against U.K. press 'central piece' in family breakdown
Prince Harry, speaking in clips published on Wednesday from a new documentary, said his legal battles with Britain's tabloid press have contributed to the breakdown of his relationship with the royal family.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.