South Kingstown Dog Park Reopens Amid Mystery Canine Illness

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — The South Kingstown Dog Park on Dominic Road last week after closing earlier this month amid the spread of a mystery dog illness that has infected dozens of dogs in Rhode Island, town officials said.

The closure came after the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) advised dog owners to avoid visiting dog parks and other locations where their pets may come in contact with other dogs. That advisory is still in place, but residents are allowed to use the dog park at their own risk.

State officials have warned Rhode Island dog owners not to let their dogs mingle with other dogs until officials can pin down the unknown but highly contagious respiratory disease infecting pets in the state and others across the country.

The disease is known to cause more severe illness than typical respiratory infections affecting pet dogs, and carries a higher resistance to antibiotics, according to DEM officials.

The "only common thread" of this unusual respiratory illness, according to state Veterinarian Scott Marshall, is that they "appear to have an association with dogs recently commingling with other dogs in congregate settings such as at dog parks, shelters, groomers, kennels, or a dog trainer."

As of Dec. 14, Marshall is aware of around 35 Rhode Island cases of the mystery disease, thanks to veterinarians contacting his office and reporting the signs of illness they have seen in dogs in their care. However, the state only requires the reporting of two respiratory viruses found in dogs — canine distemper and canine influenza — so any veterinarians reporting the mystery illness are doing so voluntarily, meaning that the disease is likely being "highly underreported," Marshall said.

Also read: 1 Common Thread Tying Together Cases Of Dog Illness, RI Officials Say.

Have a news tip? Email jimmy.bentley@patch.com.