OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

[Emily]

http://fox8.com/2013/08/19/dog-death...-investigated/

Dog Deaths in Southern Ohio Being Investigated

Posted on: 10:41 pm, August 19, 2013, by Suzanne Stratford
HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio? What?s killing dogs in southern Ohio?

An investigation is under way involving both the Ohio Department of Agriculture and The Ohio State University after a handful of dogs died in recent days.

Three seemingly healthy family pets suddenly became violently ill and died from hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, known as HGE, and a fourth dog is also now sick.

The cluster of sick canines all went to ?The Pet Spot? in Norwood, a full service grooming and boarding facility.

On Facebook, the owners said that all of their infectious disease tests have come back negative and the facilities been sterilized multiple times...

There was a recent report about a virus similar to a pig circovirus found in dogs that possibly showed similar symptoms:
PCV2-like Circovirus Found in Tissues of U.S. Dogs with Vasculitis and Hemorrhage

PCV2 was found as a contaminant in a rotavirus vaccine a couple of years ago, but was not recalled since it is not considered to be a threat to humans.
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVac.../ucm211101.htm

[Shiloh]

OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

Source: http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/sep/0...cknesses-of-o/

New virus tied to deaths, sicknesses of Ohio dogs
Published: Fri, September 6, 2013 @ 12:02 a.m.
By Kathy Antoniotti
Akron Beacon Journal
AKRON

...?We have had numerous calls from all across the state. We haven?t been tracking them on a map, but they have been from more areas than the two,? she said, referring to Cincinnati and Akron-Canton.

The Veterinarian Information Network, a private membership website for veterinarians, announced Thursday that the state hopes to issue a national news release about the ailment Monday...

[Shiloh]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

Some more info:

http://www.ohio.com/news/still-no-definitive-answers-for-dog-killing-illness-theory-points-to-new-virus-1.426574

"...The Beacon Journal has heard from dozens of people who suspect their pets might have contracted the illness, or recovered or died from it, before or since an article appeared Saturday.

Calls and emails have come in from worried pet owners living in a dozen states from the East Coast to the Great Plains who say their animals are displaying similar symptoms to the Ohio dogs.

Three dogs in the Cincinnati area died and a dozen more were sickened last month with the illness. Symptoms include bloody diarrhea and vomiting, extreme lethargy, neurological problems, a lack of appetite and other maladies.

?There are countless causes of vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, even bloody diarrhea,? Butera said.

But the illness she has seen in the past few weeks is markedly different, she said.

?What made these cases unique is what the pathologist terms ?acute necrotizing vasculitis.? This is when the blood vessels become suddenly damaged and fluid begins leaking out of the vessels,?? Butera said. ??Because of this, the cases I know of did not just have vomiting and bloody diarrhea, they also developed fluid around their lungs and in the abdomen.?

As the damage to the vessels continued, she saw hemorrhages, physiological shock and blood clots being thrown into tissues, once with fatal results, she said.

Butera?s patients shared some or all of the symptoms as the Cincinnati dogs. Three of her canine patients survived after treatment; one died, she said.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture connected the cases when Butera contacted state officials after seeing two dogs with the same symptoms come into her clinic at the same time two weeks ago.

The department requested she send blood samples along with necropsy samples from the dog that died.

Butera said the necropsy samples were sent to the University of California for comparison to samples of animals diagnosed with circovirus..."

[Emily]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

http://fox8.com/2013/08/27/health-sc...rious-disease/

Health Scare: Dogs Infected with Mysterious Disease

Posted on: 5:01 pm, August 27, 2013, by Mark Zinni

CANAL FULTON, Ohio ? The Ohio Department of Agriculture is testing samples taken from sick dogs treated at a Stark County animal clinic.

Dr. Melanie Butera from the Elm Ridge Animal Hospital on Portage NW has treated three, possibly four dogs that may have been infected with a mysterious, undiagnosed disease. One dog died after Dr. Butera attempted to treat the animal.

?I?m a tiny little practice, so for me to see possibly four cases in a short period of time really does have me worried,? said Butera.

After a similar outbreak of an unknown infection killed three dogs in Cincinnati a few weeks ago, the Ohio Department of Agriculture urged all pet owners to watch their dogs.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: ?Affected dogs suffered from severe bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Owners should observe their dogs and contact a veterinarian immediately if they show similar symptoms.?

?These dogs are sicker than sick; they?re not just a little bit sick,? said Dr. Butera. ?They are just profoundly weak. I mean, they come in not even lifting their heads up off the floor or the table.?
...
Denielle Kidder did what the state is now recommending and immediately called her vet who saved Lexi?s life.

?She?s playful again and she?s interacting with the kids. She?s getting a lot better, her personality,? said Denielle...

[Emily]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/...-dogs-1.426633

Virus linked to illness that has sickened several Ohio dogs

By Kathy Antoniotti
Beacon Journal staff writer

Published: September 6, 2013 - 10:01 AM | Updated: September 6, 2013 - 11:48 AM
A mysterious illness that has killed one local dog and sickened several others has been linked to a virus that killed several dogs in California in the spring.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture is expected to release additional information Monday confirming that early test results indicate the virus found in the tissue of the dead dog is consistent with circovirus, a disease more commonly seen in pigs.

Dr. Craig Sarver, a veterinary diagnostician at the Ohio Department of Agriculture?s Animal Disease Division, confirmed late Thursday that circovirus, responsible for the deaths of several dogs in California, was found in fecal samples submitted from sick dogs in the Canal Fulton area last month...

That would be the PCV2-like virus mention in post #1.

[Pathfinder]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

Ohio Department of Agriculture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Erica Hawkins, 614-752-9817

Ohio Agriculture Department Working to Identify Cause of Dog Illnesses

State is enlisting the help of Ohio veterinarians to identify and combat disease

REYNOLDSBURG ? (Sept. 6) The Ohio Department of Agriculture is working with animal health experts to determine the cause and origin of a series of dog illnesses in the state. The department is also urging veterinarians in the state to contact the Division of Animal Health if they suspect any animals in their care are suffering from the same disease.

The department?s Division of Animal Health has been taking reports of severe dog illnesses in several parts of the state for the past three weeks. Affected dogs have exhibited similar symptoms including vomiting, bloody diarrhea, weight loss and lethargy. Although there are several known causes of these symptoms in dogs, it is generally believed that there is an unknown contributor to the cases.

?While we continue to work diligently to identify what is making these dogs sick, we are asking Ohio?s veterinarians to help by contacting our laboratory for consultation if they suspect they are treating a related case,? said State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Forshey. Veterinarians can also help by sharing information on what pet owners should look for and how they can protect their dogs.

Owners of dogs with similar symptoms should contact their veterinarian immediately. The department has also recommended concerned dog owners take standard precautions used to reduce the spread of viral infections, including monitoring the animal closely for signs of illness and refraining from co-mingling them with other dogs.

?The most important thing dog owners can do is call their veterinarian if they have concerns about the health of their pets. Your veterinarian is the best person to help determine if your animal is ill and what steps should be taken to help them recover,? said Dr. Forshey.

Canine Circovirus

As part of its investigation, the department also announced the presence of canine circovirus in a fecal sample taken from an ill dog in the state.

This is the first laboratory detection of canine circovirus in Ohio. Further work is being done to verify the significance of this finding.

?The laboratory confirmation is important because the virus is newly isolated, however we are not prepared at this time to confirm that canine circovirus is the cause of the dog illnesses,? said State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Forshey. ?Because the symptoms being exhibited can also be linked to other known illnesses, additional analysis and information is needed to determine if this virus alone or in co-infection contributes to illness and death in dogs.?

Canine circovirus is newly isolated and there is very little information available about the virus, where it came from and how it spreads. The limited research available shows that canine circovirus can cause vasculitis and hemorrhaging in infected dogs.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture will continue to investigate the situation and urge veterinarians who believe they are treating dogs with similar symptoms to consult the laboratory by calling (614) 728-6220

http://www.agri.ohio.gov/public_docs/news/2013/09.06.13%20ODA%20Announces%20Presence%20of%20Canine%20Circovirus%20in%20Samples%20EDITS.pdf

http://www.agri.ohio.gov/apps/odaNew...spx?div=Animal Health

[Emily]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/i...cting_kil.html

New virus confirmed in Ohio dog may be infecting, killing other dogs in state
By Brie Zeltner, The Plain Dealer
Follow on Twitter
on September 06, 2013 at 4:00 PM, updated September 06, 2013 at 4:49 PM
...
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.
...
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.? ...

Vets say not to panic, but to quickly get the dog to a veterinarian's office or ER where fluids and other supportive care can be given.

[Nox]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

Shared from a Bernese Mountain Dog group I belong to.

Article below from this link:

http://fortstclairkennelclub.com/2013/09/05/virus/

Okay, folks ****IMPORTANT UPDATE REGARDING THE OHIO VIRUS**** I spoke to Dr.
Forshey, the state veterinarian for Ohio, this morning (Friday, September
6), at length. He said that it is TOO soon to state definitively that the
problem is a circovirus. The tissue tested did test positively for
circovirus, and it is likely that it is circovirus, but they do not know if
that is what?s making the dogs so sick. They are still awaiting test results
on several other dogs. THEY DO KNOW THAT THE MEANS OF CONTAGION IS THROUGH
FECES. They do not yet have a handle on the period of incubation. Dogs
cannot ?catch? this virus from pigs, He said the best thing that dog-owners
can do is to behave as people do in a flu epidemic. Dog parks, especially,
should be avoided. As for dog shows, he says that it is up to individuals to
determine their own comfort level regarding risk. Clearly, do not allow your
dogs to be near the poop of other dogs. It will be incumbent on dog day care
providers and boarding kennels to keep their premises very clean. Probably
this virus is NOT confined to Ohio. We may just be the first state to
recognize that this is it?s own problem. He said they expect to have more
information, but it may be a couple of weeks, these tests take time. Please
remember, if your dog has any of these symptoms?vomiting, bloody diarrhea,
foaming at the mouth; get them to a vet immediately. Do not try to ride this
out, don?t try to treat it at home.

Please note, as of this evening, September 5, the virus has been positively
identified (by the veterinary lab at University of California at Davis) as
one of the circoviruses. Transmission may have something to do with pigeons.
Or not. There is still very little information. But we are including this,
in case it is helpful to anyone trying to rule out or confirm a diagnosis.

The symptoms mimic many other things: parvo, giardia, salmonella,
coronavirus. The State Veterinarian for Ohio, Tony Forshey, has indicated
that samples from multiple cases have been tested for these well-known
illnesses, but have all come back negative. Tissue samples with the virus
have been sent to the veterinary labs at the University of California at
Davis, and test results are expected back on Monday, September 9, at which
point the Ohio Department of Agriculture is expected to make a formal
statement about the virus.

A statement issued August 16th by Dr. Forshey?s office indicated only that
they were dealing with an unknown virus, and that testing was continuing.
Since then there have been only informal updates, including one through Jill
Brown, DVM of the Village Animal Clinic in Columbus Ohio, who issued the
following statement:

VERY IMPORTANT HEALTH ALERT FOR DOG OWNERS.

I talked to Dr Forshey, the state veterinarian, and he confirmed that they
are working on identifying the cause of death in several dogs. They suspect
that it is a virus, possible Circo virus. This virus has not been found in
dogs before (it?s found commonly in pigs). They have sent tissue samples to
UC Davis, which is the only lab that can identify the virus. Ohio State has
already ruled out common causes like salmonella, parvovirus, campylobacter,
hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE).

He thinks they will have it figured out by Monday and will have a national
news release. Ohio is the only state seeing it so far (figures!).

The important thing is that dog owners need to get their dog to the vet ASAP
at the first sign of vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Dr Forshey indicated that
most of the dogs are surviving if treated early. There is, of course, no
vaccine available.

Please share this information to your own Facebook feed so we can reach as
many dog owners as possible.

We spoke to Dr. Forshey?s office today, Thursday, September 5 and they
confirmed that they are still awaiting test results from California. They
have, understandably, been inundated with calls.

There are no websites about this virus, no studies, and certainly no vaccine
yet. Whether or not the vaccine for one of the porcine circovirus will be
employed is only speculative at this point. We are at the tip of the iceberg
with this one, and every one is understandably concerned. The biggest
question is how is this virus transmitted, and simply put, no one knows the
answer yet. Although it is said to have only been found in Ohio so far, the
chance of that statement being accurate is probably nil. As we learn more
about this, I think we will find that it is far more widespread and that we
may have been dealing with it longer than we think.

As to how contagious it might be, this is yet to be determined. Three dogs
died at a Dog Day Care in Norwood? but other dogs in the same facility did
not even get sick.

The good news is that dogs who are treated promptly have been making good
recoveries, though the treatment is sometimes intense and arduous. Since no
one knows quite what they are dealing with, care has come in the form of
treating the symptoms and keeping the dog well supported throughout. Please!
If you have any concerns about this, contact your veterinarian.

Be alert to your own dog?s health. If there is vomiting, bloody diarrhea,
foaming at the mouth? in any combination? not all symptoms may be present,
get them to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

As to whether or not to attend shows, take your dog to dog parks, or to day
care or boarding kennels? only you can make this decision. If you will be
leaving your dog somewhere, alert the caregivers to this situation. Keep
your dog?s immune system hale and hearty. If you have specific questions,
the best person to answer those is your vet.

Feel free to share this post. We only want to educate folks to be on the
lookout for this. As we get updates, we will post them here and on Fort St.
Clair?s Facebook Page. If you are a veterinarian and you need further
assistance with this, the number for the State Veterinarian?s office is
(614) 728-6220.

[Emily]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

Thanks for sharing that post, Nox! The reference to pigeons came out of left field to me. I'd love to know the origin of that speculation. Virologists think that this is a mammalian virus most closely associated to pig circovirus, but obviously not exactly the same so that must be why the state vet says pigs are not currently spreading the virus to dogs.

Figure 1. . . A) Genome organization of dog circovirus (DogCV) and porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2). B) Phylogenetic analysis of DogCV strains (UCD1?3, isolated from tissue, feces, and blood respectively) based on the amino acid sequence of the replicate (Rep) protein...
Li L, McGraw S, Zhu K, Leutenegger CM, Marks SL, Kubiski S, et al. Circovirus in tissues of dogs with vasculitis and hemorrhage. Emerg Infect Dis [Internet]. 2013 Apr [date cited]. http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1904.121390
DOI: 10.3201/eid1904.121390

It appears to me that canine circovirus was first reported to be infecting dogs by another set of researchers in 2012, without all the media hype about this latest appearance. I haven't seen this mentioned any news sources, maybe because the virus was not related to serious illness in the original discovery.

http://jvi.asm.org/content/86/12/7018.full

Title: Complete Genome Sequence of the First Canine Circovirus
Author(s): Kapoor, Amit ; Dubovi, Edward J. ; Henriquez-Rivera, Jose Angel ; et al.
Source: JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY Volume: 86 Issue: 12 Pages: 7018-7018 DOI: 10.1128/JVI.00791-12 Published: JUN 2012

ABSTRACT

We found a highly divergent circovirus in serum samples from several dogs. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that canine circovirus genotype 1 (CaCV-1) represents the first circovirus reported in dogs and is genetically most closely related to the only known mammalian circovirus, porcine circovirus. Here we report the complete genome sequence of the CaCV-1 strain NY214, which will help toward understanding the evolutionary and pathogenic characteristics of mammalian circoviruses.

Full text at link.

[Nox]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

Again form my list today

According to VIN (Veterinary Information Network), the relevant department in Ohio will be releasing an official statement on the suspected circavirus outbreak today (Monday).

Below is a summary of the UC Davis Study on canine circovirus referred to in the original e-mail posted by various kennel clubs (the presentation was made Patricia Pesavento in 2012 at a conference on infectious diseases so this is a known virus).

The complete article can be viewed at:

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/19/4/12-1390_article.htm

> Canine Circovirus is Associated with Vascular Damage in Dogs
>
> Second International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases Symposium: 2012
>
> Patricia Pesavento; Linlin Li; Eric Delwart; Christian Leutenegger; Sabrina McGraw; Kevin Zhu
> School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
>
> 23960388
>
> Background
>
> Until 2012 when the genome of canine circovirus (CaCirV) was first reported, porcine circovirus 1 and 2 (PCV1 and PCV2) were the only two circoviruses reported to infect mammals. PCV2 is a ubiquitous virus in pig populations, associated with a variety of disease syndromes, and one of the most economically important viral pathogens in pig industry worldwide. We have found CaCirV in an unbiased metagenomic search for viruses from the tissues of two dogs with hemorrhagic enteritis, analyzed its prevalence in blood and fecal samples from 500 animals and propose that vascular disease in multiple tissues can be associated with infection.
>
> Objectives
>
> Describe the genomic organization and phylogeny of the newly discovered CaCirV. Establish whether CaCirV causes disease in the dog.
>
> Animals
>
> Animals in this study were submitted with owner permission for routine necropsy at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at UC Davis.
>
> Methods
>
> Metagenomics, real-time quantitative PCR, in situ hybridization
>
> Results
>
> In both the two prototype cases and in a targeted retrospective analysis of 25 canine patients with vascular disease, we identified CaCirV by in situ hybridization in five animals. With this method we were able to evaluate the histopathological features of their disease simultaneously with the distribution of virus in tissues. The cases collectively suggest that canine circovirus is a new, potentially pathogenic member of the Circoviridae family.
>
> Conclusions
>
> The results of this study indicate that there is enteric shedding of CaCirV in ~10% of dogs. There is a significant presence of CaCirV DNA in a subset of dogs with vasculitis and hemorrhage.

[Shiloh]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

Source: http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=28696

Veterinarians skeptical canine circovirus alone is sickening dogs

September 10, 2013
By: Jennifer Fiala
For The VIN News Service

It might look like circovirus and act like circovirus ? and still not be circovirus.

That?s what scientists investigating the mysterious illness that's sickening and killing dogs in Ohio and elsewhere say after diagnostic tests of some infected samples came back positive for Dog Circovirus, or DogCV...

[Emily]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/i...gative_fo.html

Two Ohio dogs test negative for new virus that showed up in state last week
By Brie Zeltner, The Plain Dealer
Follow on Twitter
on September 10, 2013 at 5:30 PM, updated September 10, 2013 at 7:38 PM

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Two Ohio dogs that had been sick with similar symptoms in different parts of the state tested negative for the same rare virus that showed up in an Akron-area dog last week and sparked concern of a potential outbreak, according to officials...

http://www.marionstar.com/article/20...een-circovirus

Marion vets say they haven't seen circovirus
State urges owners who see symptoms to take animal to veterinarian
Sep. 11, 2013

Below is a very interesting research paper, (the full text is available as a PDF link), that explores possibilities as to why pigs in Sweden don't get circovirus diseases, in spite of harboring the virus just as pigs elsewhere do. They even took a circovirus sample saved from 1993 and infected Irish pigs and they got clinical disease, so that indicates that host/environment factors are expressing the clinical disease, rather than the virus getting more virulent. (The virus has been found in archived samples going back to 1968, yet did not seem to be associated with disease states until decades later.)

http://vdi.sagepub.com/content/15/6/553.short

[Shiloh]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

Source: http://www.ohio.com/news/researcher-...virus-1.428166

Researcher: Healthy dogs as well as sick ones can shed virus

By Kathy Antoniotti
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published: September 11, 2013 - 11:11 PM | Updated: September 12, 2013 - 12:39 PM

A retired Ohio State University veterinary immunologist and pathologist who 15 years ago helped identify a deadly pig virus is praising a former student for raising concerns about dogs dying of a mysterious disease.

Dr. Steven Krakowka said it took courage for Dr. Melanie Butera to alert authorities when she saw something new and disturbing at her Canal Fulton veterinary practice.

?She took a big chance. If she?s wrong, she could get her head chopped. But she?s not wrong,? Krakowka said this week from his Ohio State office where he continues to conduct research part time.

He knows firsthand the risks of stepping out...

[Emily]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

He knows firsthand the risks of stepping out

And the rewards?

?That?s where it?s going ? research papers, grants, meetings, symposiums, etc. And the drug companies are on this, you can bet, and people are already gearing up to go after it,? he said.

Same approach as done with pigs?

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...78113513000424

Veterinary Microbiology

Volume 165, Issues 1?2, 26 July 2013, Pages 13?20
The natural history of porcine circovirus type 2: From an inoffensive virus to a devastating swine disease?
Abstract

The present review summarizes the current knowledge on the natural history of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection and its related diseases. The perception about PCV2 as a significant pathogen has markedly changed in the last 15 years. The ubiquitous nature of the virus, the retrospective evidence of this infection long before disease association, the multifactorial aetio-pathogenesis of PCV2-systemic disease (SD) and the lack of consistent demonstration of Koch's postulates caused great controversy about the real causal capabilities of this virus. The advent of vaccines against PCV2 radically changed such perception and this virus is nowadays regarded as a very important pig pathogen...

I think all we know for sure is that factory farming pigs makes them sick and creates lots of opportunities for medical interventions.

?There were a number of manipulations we had to do to get the virus to work. It wasn?t just a case of inoculating them to get it to work. It didn?t. We eventually figured out that what was required [was] co-infections with other agents. The virus all by itself does not cause the disease. It needs help,? Krakowka said.

The help needed to get this virus to cause disease in a research pig:

http://vet.sagepub.com/content/38/1/31.short

Articles:

S. Krakowka,
J. A. Ellis,
F. McNeilly,
S. Ringler,
D. M. Rings,
and G. Allan

Activation of the Immune System is the Pivotal Event in the Production of Wasting Disease in Pigs Infected with Porcine Circovirus-2 (PCV-2) Vet Pathol January 2001 38: 31-42, doi:10.1354/vp.38-1-31
Abstract

Porcine circovirus (PCV)-2, a newly described single-stranded circular DNA virus pathogen of swine is the cause of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). In gnotobiotic piglets, PCV-2 infection alone produces asymptomatic infection without evidence of overt PMWS. Gnotobiotic piglets infected with PCV-2 were injected with keyhole limpet hemocyanin in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (KLH/ICFA), and the effects on virus production and development of PMWS were determined...

Hopefully pet dogs are not going down the same road factory farmed pigs have gone down.

http://www.marionstar.com/article/20...lness-reported

No new cases of mysterious dog illness reported
Sep. 25, 2013

[Emily]

Re: OH: Unidentified virus killing dogs

http://www.avmamedia.org/display.asp...llness_in_Ohio

Veterinarians investigate mystery canine illness in Ohio

Several dogs in Ohio have recently presented with vomiting and bloody diarrhea, and four of them have died. The symptoms aren?t uncommon, but the cause might be. Veterinarians across the country are currently investigating these cases to see what sickened or killed the dogs in Ohio, including a possible link to a newly emerging canine circovirus. But how exactly do veterinarians determine the cause of illness in animals, and what triggers such an extensive investigation as in the current case in Ohio? In this podcast, Dr. Tony Forshey, State Veterinarian at the Ohio Department of Agriculture, discusses how the investigation has taken place, and what they?ve learned so far.

Dr. Forshey says they are still uncertain what the primary cause of the illness is. Only one sick dog tested positive for circovirus - the other three tested were all negative. On histopathology, they are NOT finding many GI lesions so that is unlike HGE and other serious GI illnesses. (This could be why quickly treated dogs, even seniors, are recovering so well.)

He said the one unique thing seen in histopathology is the vasculitis mentioned by Dr. Butera.