News has spread that a new illness has come up and multiple platforms have been used to make others aware of its presence. However, it is not people that should be concerned, but the lives of furry companions: dogs.

While it has recently become widespread information so people might assume this only started relatively recently. However, veterinarian David Needle told NPR that he began to hear something about a respiratory illness involving dogs. It was an illness that caused the dogs to be sick for weeks.

What was puzzling about this illness is that there seemed to be no bacteria or virus attached to it. It puzzled Needle in the beginning. But eventually he was able to find a strand of DNA that seemed to be the bacteria causing the mysterious illness. But there was no way for him to be sure that it was the same illness affecting every dog.

Needle found that this was a significant problem once it had been a year since the initial discovery of this respiratory illness and not only has it not gone away but more states seem to be experiencing these issues.

The Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center has been investigating this strange dog illness. Some common symptoms owners should look out for in their dogs: coughing, sneezing, labored breathing, nose or eye discharge, lethargy, and decreased appetite. Common respiratory dog illnesses will have similar symptoms, but regular treatments do not seem to work. They experience respiratory issues for much longer than usual dog illnesses.

NBC news lists the current states that might be experiencing the same issue: Oregon, New Hampshire, Colorado, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

It is currently hard to distinguish these severe illnesses to commonly known respiratory dog illnesses. They have many of the same symptoms. There is not much can be done, but there are some precautions that dog owners can take.

These kinds of diseases are spread by direct contact, so avoid situations where a lot of dogs are in small close quarters with each other. Boarding kennels, dog parks, and doggy day cares may not be the best places to put dogs if it can be avoided. Don’t allow dogs to share bowls or chew toys since those things will most likely carry a lot of bacteria and saliva that would be infected.

Check that your furry friend has all their shots and do a check up with your veterinarian. It will be a sure way to check on the health of the dog and know what to do next.

While it is recommended to go to the vet and get all the tests done to make sure nothing is wrong, but a lot of pet owners don’t have that kind of money to spend. Owners can call their veterinarian and ask if they know if it is a problem in their area. They should be able to tell owners if there’s a new respiratory disease rising in the area.

So when you go on vacation or on holiday you might want to try to find someone to watch the dog at home rather than put them in doggy daycare. Not only will the dog probably feel better at home but they will be safer.