State officials confirmed on Wednesday that the illness impacting dogs in northern lower Michigan is canine parvovirus, a common disease found in the animals.
The state Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was initially notified that dogs were testing negative for the virus at local veterinary clinics.
But after more thorough testing, the Michigan State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory confirmed in a statement that it is parvo... they say the initial tests are not as sensitive at detecting the virus.
In a written statement, state officials say dogs who were affected the most were not up to date on their vaccinations.
It’s unclear how many dogs have been impacted by the outbreak because the state does not require the illness to be reported. One report says at least 30 dogs in Clare County have died.
The state says dog owners should not drastically change how they care for their pets and recommend getting their dogs up to date on their routine vaccinations