Veterinarians warn of rising cases of mystery dog illness

Veterinarians are sounding the alarm as they see a growing number of coughing dogs.

Wendy Brown’s three golden retrievers — Bridge, Dooley and Lulu — are among the dogs who started showing symptoms earlier this November.

“Dooley started doing kind of this huffing and also seemed to feel quite lethargic,” Brown recalled to “Good Morning America.” “Not too long after, Bridge began to exhibit the symptoms. But his were louder, more boisterous. I thought it was his stomach because he made like a retching sound.”

Initially, Brown thought her pets had a typical kennel cough but when their symptoms didn’t subside, she knew it was something more serious.

“The vet started him on a 10-day cycle of doxycycline. Today was day 10 and he is not a lot better,” Brown said.

Brown, an Idaho resident, said she’s still not sure what could have caused her dogs’ illness in the first place.

While research is underway, veterinarians say the mystery illness is highly contagious and can be fatal. Reported symptoms so far have also been typical of a kennel cough and they include coughing, sneezing, nasal and/or eye discharge and lethargy.

“Instead of that dry cough where the dog felt good, it was now this wet cough where the dog felt sick,” Amanda Cavanagh, the section head of the urgent care service at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, told “GMA.”

Experts like Cavanagh said any dogs showing signs of consistent coughing should be brought to a vet to be examined.

“We can ultrasound the lungs to see if there is a problem that is related to pneumonia or the contagious pneumonia that seems to be going around,” Cavanagh said.

Cavanagh also recommends keeping any coughing dogs away from other dogs and for two weeks after the cough goes away.

Dedicated Father: Golden Retriever Displays Remarkable Commitment in Caring for His Pregnant Mate.

For dads, do you recall how you took care of your wife while she was pregnant?

Of course, you do. You could have recalled those moments when you conducted errands while being the only one who was in charge of the house and all the chores. Well, you’re not alone.

While some spouses will say that they weren’t as lucky, they can always display this viral film of how a golden retriever took care of his mate while in delivery.

These Goldens went viral. At first, they were seen sleeping next each other. Then, the instant the wife woke up, the dog rushed for the AC switch and upped the temperature.

Next, he snatches a tiny basin with his mouth and trots to the kitchen. He set the basin down in the sink and stretched his paw to turn on the faucet. He then gladly marched to his mate, quite happy with himself.

Once she finished her drink, he went to retrieve her leash. As a pregnant dog, exercise is still vital so she may keep fit. But instead of their owner taking both of them to the park, the dog chewed on the leash and joined his mate.

This provided the daddy dog an opportunity to conduct other errands. Throughout this section of the day, he went into the kitchen to assist prepare his mate’s dinner.

Chicken, fish, shrimp, and some veggies seem excellent. Daddy dog assisted his human with cleaning. He even took out the garbage.

He’s even a gentleman during dinner. He could be incredibly hungry with all his effort, but he lets his mate get her fill first. After all, she’s also eating for their pups.

Later, when he invited her for a post-dinner run, something occurred. His wife urged to remain home.

Then, the labor began. As their fur parents sensed what was about to happen, they swiftly prepared up a nest for her. What was a room only for the two of them became a home for a loving family.

One by one, the puppies emerged from their mother. The owners cleaned them well before leaving them to breastfeed on their mother.

All the while, they were feeding her readily digested meals to aid her through the procedure.

The adorable retriever eventually became daddy. They ended up with seven healthy pups. They all have their unique colorful collars that nearly resemble a rainbow.

And just like that, the daddy dog is on the chores again. But this time, he wasn’t simply taking care of one dog. He’s watching over his mate and their children.