Dozens of Mich. Dogs Die of Mystery Illness

Sickness presents as parvo, but dogs are testing negative
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 23, 2022 2:30 AM CDT
Updated Aug 23, 2022 6:51 AM CDT
Dozens of Dogs Dying of Mystery Illness in Michigan
A parvovirus-infected puppy in this 2018 file photo.   (Monica Herndon/The Tampa Bay Times via AP)

A parvo-like illness is spreading among dogs in Michigan's Otsego County, and of the canines that have gotten it, "we haven’t heard of any that have survived," the director of animal control for the county tells MLive. More than 30 dogs have died of the as-yet-unidentified virus there, plus more in nearby counties. Most of them are under 2 years old (parvo is known to mostly strike puppies), but at least one was 4 years old. Dogs are presenting with parvo-like symptoms, including vomiting and bloody diarrhea, but are testing negative for parvo. Most of the dogs were unvaccinated, the Detroit Free Press reports. Some of the dogs, however, were vaccinated against parvo, though authorities say parvo vaccines must be kept at a specific temperature and given on a specific timeline in order to be effective, and it's not clear whether these dogs' vaccines met those criteria.

Most of the dogs died within three days of becoming symptomatic. Necropsies are being performed in an effort to figure out what's going on. "Our work starts with looking for known causes of disease, and if none is found, we’ll explore novel explanations such as new virus variants,” says the director of the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. If it is a new strain of canine parvovirus, as one expert theorizes it could be, authorities say it's important to know that it is not transmissible to humans. It is, however, highly contagious between dogs, and owners are being asked to keep any sick dogs home and away from other dogs. Animal shelter and kennel facilities are being asked to practice strict intake protocols when it comes to vaccination requirements and cleaning procedures. (More Michigan stories.)

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