By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Winnebago County Animal Services will resume dog adoptions on Wednesday after treating the outbreak of a potentially deadly upper respiratory disease discovered at the shelter.

The shelter, 4517 N. Main St., suspended adoptions on Saturday following the detection of Streptococcus Zooepidemicus, also known as Strep Zoo, in several dogs at the facility.

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Winnebago County Animal Services said Tuesday that it worked with its staff and shelter program veterinarians to treat every dog at the facility with penicillin injections as a preventative measure against the outbreak.

“Dogs that have completed the three-dose penicillin treatment (7-10 day regimen) and are deemed healthy or show only minor upper respiratory symptoms are now eligible for adoption,” Animal Service said Tuesday on Facebook. “Prospective pet owners considering adoption can rest assured that dogs available for adoption, post-treatment, are not contagious once they leave the facility.”

Strep Zoo is a contagious bacterial infection normally found in pigs and cattle. It can lead to deadly pneumonia in dogs. There is no vaccine and few warning signs.

“In conjunction with the recommended treatment, staff are undertaking extensive efforts to deep clean and sanitize the kennel areas, aiming to prevent any further spread,” Animal Services said.

You can see the pets up for adoption HERE.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas