Vets think they’ve identified mystery illness affecting Hilton Head, Bluffton dogs
Dog owners worried about a mysterious respiratory illness spreading around Hilton Head Island now have a name for it, according to veterinarian Tracy Duffner of Heritage Animal Hospital.
The illness is a mutated form of canine parainfluenza — a virus researchers from Colorado State University found, Duffner said.
“This outbreak has been kennel cough-like but more severe,” Duffner said. “The symptoms last longer.”
The illness was so contagious that Heritage Animal Hospital recommended that dog owners in Hilton Head and Bluffton avoid grooming appointments and boarding facilities until more was known.
Media outlets in other parts of the East Coast, including Raleigh, North Carolina, and Charlottesville, Virginia, reported similar outbreaks.
When dogs on Hilton Head started falling ill, tests were done to check for 11 viruses and bacteria that can cause coughing in dogs, but those results came back negative, Duffner told The Island Packet in early August.
Adding to the mystery was that the illness affected dogs whether or not they had been vaccinated.
“The old parainfluenza vaccine doesn’t provide immunity,” Duffner said, explaining that she is recommending dogs have a newer intra-nasal vaccine that vets hope will offer some protection.
“It’s the best tool we have right now,” Duffner said.
Still, there’s some uncertainty.
“We don’t know if the vaccine will be protective,” Duffner said. “The vaccine companies are going to have to research this.”
The parainfluenza strain that the vaccine is based on is the same one that’s been used for 30 years, according to Duffner, who spoke with researchers at Colorado State University. Researchers expect vaccine companies to make some updates now that the mutation has been identified.
The vet said she’s still seeing dogs that developed coughs after being at boarding facilities or grooming facilities on Hilton Head.
“It’s slowing down, but we’re still seeing a lot of new cases,” she said.
This story was originally published August 31, 2018 at 2:57 PM.