A mysterious superbug that’s been sickening and killing dogs across Illinois and 13 other states might have been identified. It still has no name but researchers at the University of New Hampshire are describing the microorganism as a “funky bacterium.” Dr. David Needle says its small size might be the reason it’s been so successful at evading canine immunity defenses. The respiratory illness starts out with a cough, like the flu or kennel cough, but lasts for six to eight weeks. Other symptoms include difficulty breathing, fatigue, discharge from the eye or nose, and acute pneumonia that doesn’t respond to antibiotics.
