Your family dog could fall victim to the killer virus rapidly spreading across the U.S. This mystery illness has taken the lives of several dogs already. It can be spread through any outdoor area where a dog has been. This could be a dog park, pet store, or simply the sidewalk According to Maura Hohman, the senior health editor at TODAY.com, “Dogs with this mystery illness usually have coughing, sneezing, eye or nose discharge, are abnormally tired, and do not test positive for any common causes of canine respiratory illness.” The mystery factor of this illness is what makes it so dangerous. Dogs have several different symptoms but don’t respond to any treatments given. Veterinarians cannot find the source of the illness, making it very hard to learn about and figure out how to treat it. 

This illness is a dog lover’s worst nightmare. With little information about it and no cure, it is seriously dangerous for these family pets. “The ones who go down, who die, it comes on rapidly, very rapidly. You start supportive care and they don’t respond,” says Nicole Trenholme, medical director of Evolution Veterinarian Specialists.

Though there isn’t yet a cure, there are several precautions families can take to protect their dogs from this sickness. Make sure that your dog is fully updated on all of their vaccinations, stay away from dog parks for the time being, wash their paws after a public outing, and make sure to have a 24/7 veterinarian on hand. By taking these safety measures, hopefully, your dogs will stay away from this so far, incurable virus.