US News, Florida - Suspected emerging, flu-like dog disease in Medley Florida

[dogs4life]

12 adult dogs died after showing signs of kennel cough followed by pneumonia and then they die suddenly. Officials are worries it's an emerging canine disease. At this time, puppies and felines do not seem to be susceptible but they did not say whether they can be carriers or reservoirs. The dogs were reported to being at the shelter for only 9 days before their death. This seems to be a rapid transmission, communicable agent with aggressive damage to lungs and other organs. All adoptions have been halted until they have a plan in place.

County Animal Services Shuts Down After Dogs Die - Miami News Story - WPLG Miami

I just watched the video and I cannot believe they adopted a puppy out while news crews were there, that is totally irresponsible. Since they do not know the agent causing disease they needed to shut down, period. I hope this does not get out of control.

If this is Canine Influenza why is there such a high mortality (12/242 dogs = 5%), Canine Flu is only supposed to have a 1-5% mortality, where higher than 2% is rare.

Related Links:

Information Sheet - Canine Influenza Update
Control of Canine Influenza in Dogs
Canine influenza virus emerges in Florida - October 15, 2005
2005 - Bronson Alerts Public To Newly Emerging Canine Flu

[dogs4life]

At Least 12 Dogs Die From Kennel Cough At S. Fla. Shelter - Local News Story - WTVJ | Miami

"This is a devastating problem," said Dr. Sara Pizano of Miami-Dade Animal Shelter.

Twelve adult dogs that had been saved from the streets died from kennel cough at the shelter.

"Every dog and puppy in the shelter is at risk right now," Pizano said.

Administrators at the shelter said animals started to show signs of the cough, similar to a cold in humans, on Monday.

"In a span of six to 12 hours, they died after coughing blood," Pizano said. "Most of them were found in the morning dead."

Animal control worked with the University of California and the University of Florida to identify the origin of the disease.

Specialists said they suspect an airborne bacteria similar to one found in a shelter in Nevada two years ago caused the infectious disease.

"This is a strain that usually infects horses," Pizano said. "What they saw in Nevada is a mutation of that strain, so we're afraid that this is a new disease."

Mysterious illness kills dogs at Dade shelter - 02/07/2008 - MiamiHerald.com

The 44-year-old shelter can accommodate 300 to 400 animals, but its antiquated ventilation system makes isolating those with contagious airborne diseases, as this appears to be, impossible.

In addition to helping stray or abandoned animals find new homes, the county's animal shelter provides low-cost rabies vaccinations. Wednesday, shelter personnel set up a clinic in the parking lot, administering the vaccinations.

The shelter also canceled a weekend adoption party. Such events usually help 60 animals find new homes.

Each day, the shelter accepts about 100 animals -- about 30,000 a year. By law, it must accept any animal that comes through the door, no matter how sick. Most of those animals are euthanized because they're not reclaimed by their owner, adopted or taken by a rescue group.

Pizano urged anyone who plans to give up a dog to hold off until the situation is under control.

''And if you find a stray, please try to care for it temporarily,'' she said.

No more dogs die at Dade shelter - 02/07/2008 - MiamiHerald.com

Tissue cultures sent to labs ``show heavy growth of the bacteria Streptococcus, although the specific type has not been identified yet. It is important to realize that there may be other pathogens involved. . . .''

``Any animals leaving the shelter are receiving a 10-day course of antibiotics.''

In addition to the Humane Society of Greater Miami/Adopt a Pet and the Humane Society of Broward County, rescue groups are accepting owner surrenders.

[dogs4life]

Streptococcus zooepidemicus

Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus, Strep equi is the causative agent of Strangles in Horses.

In dogs, S. zooepidemicus is associated with hemorrhagic streptococcal pneumonia (HSP) in dogs ([Garnett et al., 1982). The HSP syndrome is a severe infection, in which sudden death can occur without any prior clinical signs. In general, dogs with higher S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus scores of infection were more likely to have severe alveolar damage (Chalker et al., 2003).

Related Links:

A Clonal Outbreak of Acute Fatal Hemorrhagic Pneumonia in Intensively Housed (Shelter) Dogs Caused by Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus -- Pesavento et al. 45 (1): 51 -- Veterinary Pathology
Canine Strangles Case Reveals a New Host Susceptible to Infection with Streptococcus equi
ScienceDirect - Veterinary Microbiology : The association of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus with canine infectious respiratory disease