The city of Charlottesville, Virginia is in full panic mode as a mysterious dog disease that is similar to whooping cough is spreading like wildfire.

The Autumn Trails Veterinary Center in Charlottesville revealed that they have treated 22 dogs for this disease in the past week alone, and they have contacted other veterinary practices in the area to see if they have noticed a similar trend.

“There is an epidemic underway in the Charlottesville area,” Autumn Trails warned on Sunday. “It appears to be highly contagious, with more than 150 cases seen in the community in the past month.”

The vets went on to say that the dogs who have been getting the disease are “well vaccinated,” and they are still running tests to see how best to treat this.

Symptoms of this disease include coughing, sneezing, low-grade fevers and lethargy. Emily Gordon, manager of Autumn Trails, said that she thinks the disease is coming from “dog parks, groomers, boarding [and] kennels.” She warned pet owners to be careful about socializing their dog until this disease is contained.

“Any dog that is boarding with us that starts exhibiting these symptoms will be immediately placed in isolation,” the clinic stated. “If you must bring your loved one in for medical treatment, please advise the staff if your pet is exhibiting symptoms before entering the building.”

We can only hope that this disease is contained as soon as possible! It’s crucial that we warn as many dog owners as possible about this. SHARE this story so that your friends and family can see this as well!