Three dogs die respiratory illness Florida shelter doing about

Three dogs died from a mysterious respiratory disease at a South Florida animal shelter, leading to a halt in accepting new dogs.

Three dogs have died at a South Florida animal shelter from a mysterious respiratory disease that is affecting canines across the country. The Palm Beach County Animal Care shelter has announced that it will not be accepting new dogs until Monday after the deaths of the three dogs, ranging in age from 3 to 2 months old, due to a respiratory disease known as Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus, also known as Strep Zo. This disease causes fever, cough, and lethargy in dogs, similar to kennel cough.

The respiratory ailment has been reported in hundreds of dogs in over a dozen states since November, with Oregon having the most cases at over 200. The Miami-Dade County Animal Services also issued an advisory last month urging dog owners to take precautions.

The shelter has posted on Facebook that these three cases are the first time they have seen this virulent pathogen, and it is important for all local veterinarians, rescues, and shelters to be aware of its presence. The shelter has sought guidance from Cynda Crawford, chair of Shelter Medicine at the University of Florida, and has been advised to not bring any other dogs in, treat every dog with an antibiotic, and give it 72 hours to kill all the bugs.

Animals at the West Palm Beach shelter have been quarantined, and all dogs have received an injection and oral antibiotics, designed to kill the infection within 72 hours after the final dose. It is important for dog owners to be aware of this respiratory illness and take precautions to protect their pets.