There are thousands of dogs in New York State. In fact, according to some reports, there are as many as 600,000 dogs in New York City! That is why veterinarians across New York State are letting dog owners know about a new mystery virus and what to look for.

It is true that dogs are part of the family. For those with dogs, there are not many limits to the amount of money or time or attention that they will give to their four-legged family members. In some homes, dogs are treated better than humans!

As we are still dealing with the left over affects of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a new virus that has many on alert and wondering what is next for their pets. However, as we learn more about what this may or may not be, animal experts are reminding pet lovers not to panic.

Yahoo News ran a story about what to look for. The most prevalent symptom seems to be a cough.

We have a 13 year old Dachshund named Lucy. Lucy was not eating, vomited a couple times, could barely open her eyes and was extremely lethargic. Our vet did all the tests; blood, imaging etc. There was nothing that was presenting itself and was considered a "mystery" by our vet and we were given some anti-inflammatory and antibiotics as a precaution. After those ran out, 7-10 days later, the dog was not 100%. Whatever she had lasted at least 14 days and there were some days we didn't think she was going to make it. Thankfully, Lucy did recover. However, it was very scary not knowing what was wrong or what to expect.

WOOF: These are the most popular dog breeds in America

Stacker highlights the 100 most popular dog breeds in America based on data released March 15, 2023 from the American Kennel Club.

Gallery Credit: Sabienna Bowman

LOOK: 11 tick-borne illnesses and what to watch out for during your outdoor adventures

Stacker compiled a list of 11 common tick-borne diseases in the U.S. and what symptoms to watch out for, using a variety of medical and government sources. 

Gallery Credit: Martha Sandoval

More From WRKI and WINE