Circovirus may be Responsible for Mysterious Illness in Dogs

Circovirus are small viruses that have been known to infect both pigs and birds. Yet two cases of infections found in dogs in the metro Detroit area within the last month that were confirmed by the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine show the possibility of problems for other dogs in the area.

ABC Action News notes that both dogs who contracted the health problem had other viruses and bacteria in their bodies, but six dogs have died from the yet unnamed disease. However, symptoms seen in the health issue are rather similar to the circovirus.

Currently, circovirus by itself is not associated with a specific disease process," said acting director Thomas Mullaney of Michigan State University's Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, via the News & Observer. But it has been shown to cause disease when combined with other viruses or bacteria in other species, including pigs.

This virus is very common throughout the world. It can cause postwearing multisystemic wasting syndrome in 2-to-4-month-old animals (usually pigs or birds), resulting in weight loss, poor growth and high death rates.

The American Veterinarian Medical Association presented the information in Ohio about the disease, reporting that four dogs had reportedly died with similar symptoms to the circovirus in September.