What Is Going on with This "Mysterious" Canine Respiratory Illness?

This feels an awful lot like the start of 2020 all over again.

The only remaining social media account I have is on Instagram. I use it for three primary purposes:

1. Look at adorable puppies and other furry critters.

2. Follow libertarian and anarchist accounts that spit facts 24/7.

3. Find new things to do around northeast Florida.

The first one completely dominates my feed. And, for the most part, I’m grateful for it. I mean, who doesn’t love this?

tinahassomethingonhernose

A post shared by @tinahassomethingonhernose

Or this?

tows_and_tails

A post shared by @tows_and_tails

I digress. For the most part, the little time I spend on Instagram each day brings a smile to my face. Today was different.

This post is from a dog influencer account I follow called @bradythecorgi:

bradythecorgi

A post shared by @bradythecorgi

Here’s what the post says:

“There is a contagious k9 respiratory illness going around in the US can be serious because it can quickly develop into pneumonia, and they have not found an effective way to treat it yet.

For now we are taking a break from areas where dogs congregate such as dog parks, etc. I encourage you all to do the same with your pups for now to be safe!”

These are the six recommended strategies they give to followers to keep their dogs from catching the virus:

1. Wash paws and nose after walks

2. Take a break from dog parks

3. Do not stop and say hello to other dogs on walks

4. No public water bowls

5. No trips to the groomer

6. Don’t panic and watch out for symptoms

Kinda gives you early 2020 vibes, now don’t it?

And while @bradythecorgi says “don’t panic”, that’s the opposite of what commenters are doing. As one commenter said:

“We’re taking a break from walks period until it settles down. My pup is too much of a sniffer. We’re using the time to play with our agility set in the backyard. It feels like Covid for dogs 😭”

She’s not the only one making the connection to C19:

“I haven't heard of it. Sounds like a K9 COVID pandemic. My pups have since went to the rainbow bridge. Last one in 2014 I think. I've been more focused on my human kids and keeping up with COVID shots. Definitely best to keep them safe for sure.”

And so is this one:

“Dogs can catch and spread covid too and probably have weakened immune systems due to covid which is one of the reasons this is spreading and so dangerous. Prevent the spread of covid and prevent other illnesses as well. Stay safe. Wear n95 masks and clean the air.”

Another added the following:

“7 - make sure your dog is up to date on shots!”

Some people in the comments claimed that their dogs already had it — as far back as February. While it was rough on the dog and lasted about a month or so, it was easily treatable with drugs like doxycycline.

“My little Corgi had it too. It was scary and lasted a long time. Doxycycline eventually kicked it.”

But never mind that. Influencers like @bradythecorgi want your dogs to stay at home and to maintain a safe six feet of distance from other dirty and diseased dogs. So too does the mainstream media. Of course.

They’re all in lockstep when it comes to the messaging around this virus.

• Mysterious and fatal dog respiratory illness now reported in 14 states: See the map. (USA Today)

• Dog Respiratory Illness Map Shows 14 States Affected (Newsweek)

• What to Know About the Mysterious Respiratory Illness Affecting Dogs (NY Times)

• Mysterious Respiratory Illness Affects Dogs in Multiple States (NY Times again)

• Dogs Across the U.S. Are Falling Sick From a Mystery Illness. Here’s What to Know (Time)

• What to know about a mysterious dog respiratory illness (NBC News)

Thankfully, many of these publications included a map and tracker so that dog owners can panic even more as this “mysterious” illness encroaches upon their neighborhood.

Now, I’m not making light of viruses that affect dogs. I love my dogs more than anything and would do everything in my power to keep them safe and in good health. However, something feels really fishy about this whole thing.

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of this respiratory illness from a dog influencer. Over the summer, @theasherhouse sanctuary posted about it.

theasherhouse

A post shared by @theasherhouse

Here’s what the post read:

“Our community and sanctuary has been hit with a rare type of pneumonia, its unpredictable, fast acting and quickly leads to an infection in the lungs. Unfortunately, it has reached the sanctuary and we have some bad news to share. The vets are unfamiliar with it and all of the ERs have been completely full in our area ❤️

At this time we need your help more than ever. I rarely ask for help but we are dealing with a bad situation right now.

The ONLY place to donate is on our website.

TheAsherHouse.com Thank you ❤️”

The funny thing about this post is that commenters weren’t so quick to jump to the C19 connection. In fact, some of them pointed out that it could be a bacterial infection from the water. Many of the account’s videos show Asher taking the dogs on long pack walks and allowing them to romp in the local waters.

Final Thoughts

Who knows what’s actually behind this wide-spread K9 illness. It could very well be a nasty flu.

But one thing I’m certain of is that they want to stoke the flames of fear once again. And it’s starting to work. I didn’t see much coverage over the summer when I’d first learned of it, but it’s all over the MSM now.

Is there something devious going on here? If so, what’s the end game? Dog owners tend to be very protective of their pups, so is this a way to gin up fears related to COVID or another “killer” virus by going after such a rapt audience?

Or maybe this will be a way for them to introduce brand new vaccines into the dog vaccine schedule, which is way overloaded already.

I hate getting my dogs vaxxed, but I need to do it in order to bring them to the groomer as well as to receive medical treatment (which, as seniors, is critical). I only do the bare minimum. I do not give them the flu vaccines or any of the optional ones.

But what is going to happen if they suddenly release a new vaccine to fight this “mysterious” illness? I guess I’ll have to do as I did and find alternative health solutions for my dogs that don’t require vaccination.

Like I said, I’m not sure what’s happening here with this virus. But if you have big influencers and the MSM in on it, I feel like this isn’t the last we’re going to hear of it. Something just doesn’t feel right here.