A mysterious disease has killed several dozen dogs in northern Michigan, with puzzled authorities seeking to identify the ailment, according to the state's agriculture department.
To date, over 30 animals have succumbed to the unidentified disease in Otsego County, according to media reports. Similar incidents have occurred in Clare County as well, according to Rudi Hicks, the county's director of animal control.
She told Clare County Cleaver that more than 30 dogs had died, most of them less than two years old, with the state experiencing “panic.”
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has suggested that the mysterious disease is similar to the often deadly parvovirus.
Parvo is a highly contagious, life-threatening gastrointestinal disease. The virus can cause the death of unvaccinated dogs and puppies and is considered incurable. Canine parvovirus can quickly jump from one dog to another. While it is not airborne, nearly all surfaces can carry it, including human skin.
However, after one dead dog was taken to be tested for parvovirus, the result came back negative, the agriculture department of Michigan stated. Meanwhile, an official from Otsego County stated that some of the dogs who died had tested positive for parvo. Now there are speculations that the new disease could be a new strain of parvovirus.
"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, there are more results pending and more to be learned," Michigan state veterinarian Nora Wineland said in a statement.
Pet owners have been strongly urged to get their dogs vaccinated and alert their veterinarians of the first signs of illness in their dogs.
While the mystery surrounding the current death rates is concerning, Holton said officials have the investigation under control.
Jennifer Holton, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, attempted to allay fears, telling the media:
"The word 'panic' has been used a lot; that is certainly not what we're doing here… Prioritizing animal health is one of the key fundamentals of what our animal industry division in this department does on the daily."