Another article on Circovirus. There is no need to panic, but certainly take the time to read these articles to stay informed. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A mysterious virus may be sickening and killing dogs in Ohio, and could be the first sign of a new illness not seen before in pets. Dogs in the Akron-Canton and Cincinnati areas have fallen ill with similar symptoms over the past three weeks, and half have died, state officials said. Today, The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) received the first confirmation of a case of the virus, called circovirus, in one of these dogs, said spokeswoman Erica Hawkins. More testing of samples from the other seven dogs who have fallen ill in the state is ongoing, she said, and it’s too soon to know if they all had the same disease. Of the eight dogs who have had the severe illness over the past few weeks, four have died. Symptoms included vasculitis (which is a destruction of the body’s blood vessels), severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, fluid buildup around the lungs, as well as rapid heart rate and weakness. Four cases were first reported in the Cincinnati area, followed by four in Canal Fulton, near Canton. No new cases have come up since, though there have been many calls from concerned pet owners, Hawkins said. State pathologists have sent samples taken from the ill and dead dogs to a lab at the University of California-Davis to test them for circovirus. A one-year-old beagle with circovirus died in California in the spring, and the school’s lab has the equipment to test for the virus, which had not previously been diagnosed in dogs but is common in pigs. A study detailing the California case was released in April in the Centers for Disease Control’s online journal “Emerging Infectious Diseases.” Dr. Melanie Butera, a veterinarian at Elm Ridge Animal Hospital in Canal Fulton, treated all four of the Akron-area dogs, who were extremely ill with very similar symptoms, she said. The two worst cases came in collapsed and weak, with high heart rates and fluid around their lungs. One of the dogs died. All were around 3 or 4 years old, and none of the owners knew each other or spent time together. “The dogs were so profoundly sick, over such a short period of time,” she said, which is what set off alarm bells for her. One of the dogs, who survived the illness, was leaking fluid from his gums. “It was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen, and I did emergency work for 20 years, so I’ve seen a lot of stuff.” Butera has not seen any more cases since sending samples from the affected dogs to the state, but she’s heard from a colleague in the Akron area who may have treated another dog with similar symptoms and also sent samples to the state for testing. Since posting information about the cases she’s seen on her Facebook page, Butera said “we’re getting all sorts of calls — everyone who ever had a dog who has ever vomited or had diarrhea.” The statewide concern began around Aug. 16, when ODA urged owners to closely watch their pets after several dog deaths were reported in Norwood, which is in Hamilton County north of Cincinnati. Four dogs there were sickened with similar symptoms, and three died. All of the dogs had spent time at the same boarding facility, but subsequent testing of the food, water and surfaces in the facility showed no signs of anything that could have triggered the illnesses, according to a statement made by the facility’s owner on the company’s Facebook page. The facility shut down temporarily and replaced its flooring and some equipment as a precaution. Vets in the Cincinnati area who treated the four dogs sent samples to Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine for testing, said public relations director Melissa Weber. Tests for salmonella and other obvious causes of the illnesses came back negative, she said, and the ODA is awaiting further test results. The department has not received any additional calls from the Cincinnati area since that time, Hawkins said. Health officials and veterinarians said that dog owners who suspect an illness should get the pet to a veterinarian right away. If it’s after hours or your vet isn’t available, seek out an emergency vet. “Pay the money, and get your dog in there, because the dog that survived [in Cincinnati] was the one who got into the vet quickly and was administered fluids immediately,” Weber said. Weber and Butera, the Akron-area veterinarian, warn dog owners not to panic. There have only been a handful of cases so far, and no definitive cause has been determined. Even if circovirus is responsible for all the cases, it’s not the first time dogs have faced a new illness, nor will it be the last. Canine influenza, or dog flu, popped up for the first time in greyhounds in 2004 after crossing over from horses. It now passes efficiently between dogs, according to the CDC, and can cause runny nose, cough, and fever, as well as more serious illness. “Viruses mutate all the time, and we see that in human viruses, and sometimes mutations allow the virus to cross into a different species,” said Butera. “There are many things can cause these symptoms,” she said, and “there are a lot of things that dogs are exposed to every day. It doesn’t seem like we’re having some massive outbreak. We just don’t know yet what this is.” Hawkins said ODA is asking Ohio veterinarians to be alert for symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, and recommends that vets call the department to report cases and to get more information about sending samples for testing.
Posted on: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 02:49:21 +0000
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