‘It’s kind of a death sentence if we don’t’: Iowa veterinarian prescribes Covid-19 drug for mystery dog illness
By Pepper Purpura
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CASS COUNTY, Iowa (KCCI) — A mysterious dog illness spreading across the United States is being treated with Paxlovid, the drug to treat COVID-19, by a Cass County veterinarian.
Cash, the bulldog, was struggling to breathe when his owner, Ryan Knowles, brought him to Lyman Veterinary Clinic. In mere hours, Cash’s condition progressed, worrying Knowles’ family if their beloved pet would survive.
Cash was diagnosed with the mysterious dog illness spreading across the United States. There is no known treatment for the disease that is resistant to antibiotics.
“If we would have lost him, it would’ve been a massive loss,” Knowles said.
Veterinarian Doug Swain said Cash is one of the more severe cases of the illness he’s seen over the last year. During the past month, his patients are becoming more severe, coughing up blood and showing intense inflammation in their lungs.
Swain said the cases he has seen align with the illnesses reported symptoms nationwide, but unlike other places, he said many of the sick dogs around Cass County have not come in contact with other animals.
A trend he has noticed in cases is the owner’s health. Swain said in the more severe cases he’s treated, the pet’s owner reports recently having COVID-19. Additionally, Swain sees similarities between COVID-19 symptoms and the symptoms in dogs.
“I had COVID and spent nine days in the ICU myself,” Swain said. “When I see these dogs, I think about how I looked.”
With no treatment options left and Cash’s condition worsening, Swain and Knowles decided to try giving Cash a COVID-19 treatment meant for humans.
“It’s like, ‘Why not, what do we have to lose?'” Knowles said. “From everything we’ve read or heard, it’s kind of a death sentence if we don’t.”
Days later, Cash made a recovery. Imaging showed inflammation in his lungs was subsiding, and Knowles said his dog just seemed more himself.
Since Cash’s recovery, Swain prescribed the drug to other dogs with severe cases of the illness. Cash’s recovery may have been coincidental, but Swain intends to keep testing his theory.
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