JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A mysterious dog virus has dog owners and vets on alert this holiday season.
Dr. Katie Green, a vet at Intracoastal West Veterinary Clinic, said owners should monitor their dogs for coughing and sneezing.
She said if your dog gets worse and becomes lethargic to bring it to the vet immediately.
“Dogs are having to be treated longer, they're more likely to get pneumonia. So that's a much deeper respiratory infection down in the lungs versus upper respiratory is what we typically are dealing with," Green said.
Green said she hasn't treated any sick dogs but has heard of a few cases of the virus on the First Coast.
“I think the biggest things are going to be making sure you know the dogs your dog is interacting with. So, if you're going to dog parks, in daycare, having playdates with neighbors, that everybody is on the same page about protecting the dogs and making sure that they're all feeling good,” Green said.
First Coast News got a behind-the-scenes look at Furever Vets' boarding clinic Thursday.
The clinic said it's monitoring dogs, cleaning its turf, and kennels routinely.
Furever Vets said it requires its dogs to be vaccinated.
Something Green, who is not associated with Furever Vets, said all dog owners should check before boarding their dogs.
"I think we've got a good chance of getting dogs through this you get it and then you know, people are really on top of trying to figure out what this is so then we will get some more information as we figure it out," Dr. Green said.
Dr. Greene also suggested getting your dog a canine flu shot.
She said it’s a newer vaccine, but said because this is new virus, she isn’t sure if it will be effective.
You should talk to your vet about your options.