Mysterious illness killing young dogs in Michigan, officials say

An unknown disease has killed more than a dozen dogs in northern Michigan, according to officials.

The Otsego County Animal Shelter said in a statement Friday that more than 20 dog deaths in the county have been caused by a disease such as parvovirus, a highly contagious and often-fatal gastrointestinal disease in dogs.

The shelter’s director, Melissa Fitzgerald, issued a statement on August 9, saying that most of the dogs who died were under the age of 2 and died within three days of showing symptoms.

Fitzgerald said symptoms include bloody diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy and loss of appetite.

However, when the dogs were taken for testing for parvovirus, the statement said, the tests came back negative.

Fitzgerald said the “best guess” for the cause of the deaths is an unknown strain of parvovirus.

According to the shelter, the disease is not affecting one breed over another, but appears to be more common in puppies and elderly dogs.

The shelter statement said none of the dogs who died in recent weeks were properly vaccinated.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is investigating the recent deaths.

“We are still in the early stages of this investigation, but some of the first samples submitted to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory were positive for canine parvovirus. However, further results are pending and much remains to be learned,” state animal Physician Nora Vinland said in a statement.

“When MDARD first became aware of these cases in northern Michigan, we immediately got involved with veterinarians and animal shelters and began our response efforts,” Vinland said. “Protecting animal and public health is one of the key pillars of the department, but it is a team effort. Dog owners need to make sure their pets are up to date on routine vaccinations because it can keep your pet healthy. Keeping it is the first step.”

Jennifer Holton, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, told ABC News that because parvovirus is not a reportable disease, officials are mostly working with anecdotal information.

“Parvo is an incredibly hardy virus,” Holton said. “And by that, I mean it can survive different temperatures and all kinds of things.”

Holton said it’s important for pet owners to get their dogs vaccinated and to alert their vet if they see signs of illness in their dogs.

He added that proper sanitation is also essential to prevent the spread of disease through faeces, especially in high-capacity areas such as shelters, doggy day cares and other animal-friendly places.

While the mystery surrounding the current death toll remains concerning, Holton said officials have the investigation under control.

“The word ‘terror’ has been used a lot, that’s certainly not what we’re doing here,” Holton said. “Prioritizing the health of animals is one of the key fundamentals of the daily operations of our Department of Animal Industry in this department.”