Is there already a cure for the “mysterious” canine respiratory disease plaguing dogs in the United States? A couple from Southern California may have found an answer after they claim their dog, Ike, recovered from the condition, known as canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC), last September.
In an interview with ABC7, Becky and John Oliver narrate how their golden retriever that had been competing in dog shows suddenly fell ill. “They had given up,” says Becky, saying veterinarians did not what the condition was and how to treat it.
The couple transferred Ike to a hospital in Fallbrook, Calif., where the dog was isolated. “He couldn’t go in the room with them, no other dogs were in there with him, so that’s how contagious this is,” John adds. Ike was tested and was confirmed to have contracted CIRDC. The disease manifests with symptoms, such as cough, runny nose, sneezing, and lethargy. In more severe cases, the infected dog can suffer from pneumonia and fatality.
An online post made by Becky and John, sharing their dog’s condition, was what opened the idea to try a treatment. A stranger online recommended the couple to try chloramphenicol, a medication used to treat eye infections.
According to the interview, Ike was “breathing better” within hours after receiving chloramphenicol and was taken home a few days later.
“It was very, very strong last-resort antibiotic…but it’s what saved him,” Becky tells ABC7. “Otherwise, he would not be here.”