TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Veterinarians are still trying to pinpoint the source of a mysterious respiratory illness that’s leading to an alarming cough among dogs.
Some say dogs may be coping with a lingering cough, especially if they were boarded during the holidays.
It’s also important to be mindful of places like dog parks where other dogs may not be vaccinated.
The Bradford family in Tampa is still treating their dog, Lily, after showing alarming symptoms of a cough in mid-December.
“It started with her waking up in the middle of the night,” Casey Bradford said. “She was hacking like she was trying to throw up, but it was dry and over and over.”
Bradford later learned Lily caught a respiratory illness that’s been prevalent among dogs in close quarters.
Since then, Lily’s treatment has been extensive.
“Right now she is on three different types of antibiotics and an esophagus soother which seems to help with the actual irritation and the coughing itself,” Bradford said.
“If you would be concerned about it in your kid, be concerned about it in your dog,” said Dr. Tori Rhoads of Bayshore Animal Clinic. “What we tend to see is a dry nonproductive cough. It sounds very dry. It doesn’t sound wet, and that cough we can associate with some of our more prevalent respiratory diseases.”