MANCHESTER, N.H. — Veterinarians in Southern New Hampshire are seeing an increase in critical instances of pneumonia amongst canines.

“Since May I think we are topping 250ish,” stated Dr. Taylor Driscoll, an ER Vet on the Veterinary Emergency Center in Manchester.

Dogs like one-year-old Bella, who’s now on the mend on the pet hospital, are contracting the respiratory sickness that may generally be deadly.

“We have had a few fatalities here,” stated Dr. Driscoll.

Dr. Driscoll tells Boston 25 News that the quickly progressive sickness has vets frightened.

“We suspect it started here in Southern New Hampshire. I got reports that it seems to have spread down to Massachusetts and I have reports from a clinic in Maine that has started to see it as well,” she stated.

And in accordance with Dr. Driscoll it appears to assault younger, wholesome canines bypassing very younger puppies and older canines.

“But this is resulting in pneumonia and the pneumonia deaths we are seeing are in our young otherwise healthy creatures,” she stated.

Dr. Driscoll says these are signs canine house owners ought to look ahead to:

Initial indicators embody:

Progresses to:

• cough
• fever
• lack of urge for food
• torpid canine

Dr. Driscoll says pay shut consideration as a result of early indicators don’t present the seriousness of the sickness.

“So, you can have a dig with a very mild runny nose that when we take X-rays actually has rampant pneumonia,” stated Dr. Driscoll.

She confirmed us X-rays from a wholesome canine and a few from Bella now on the mend. You can clearly see the white fibrous growths from pneumonia in Bella’s X-rays. And apart from keeping track of your greatest good friend she says for those who see any indicators of sickness maintain your canine house and away from different canines.

“The fear is that as it continues to have all that community spread that it will actually start to spread throughout New England.”

Dr. Driscoll says they’re treating this aggressively with antibiotics. And she has one huge tip — be further cautious over Labor Day and maintain your pet house if attainable.

She says leaving your canine at a kennel or boarding facility may expose your pet to a probably lethal illness.

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