A mystery virus has killed up to 30 dogs in the US with most of them puppies.
Causing concern among pet owners and animal lovers, the virus has broken out in the north of Michigan.
Rudi Hicks, Animal Control Director for Clare County said the state is "in a panic right now".
She told the Clare County Cleaver: "There’s no cure. There’s no vaccine because they haven’t identified it yet."
Owners are being warned to keep their pets at home to try and avoid their dogs becoming infected, though the disease is not transmissible to other animals or humans.
The canine illness is not exclusive to a particular type of breed, according to reports.
Dogs have been found to be dying with a range of symptoms including diarrhoea and vomiting, and usually only last between three to five days.
Hicks also revealed the virus is believed to be similar symptoms to the parvovirus, which causes grim problems usually for young puppies.
Symptoms include bloody diarrhoea, vomiting and fever, as well as weakness, depression, dehydration and weight loss.
It usually affects puppies as they have not built up their immunity to the virus until they have had their full round of vaccinations
American Kennel Club explained: "Puppies ages six weeks to six months are the most susceptible to parvo. Puppies younger than six weeks old still retain some of their mother’s antibodies, assuming that the dam received her full series of parvo vaccinations.
"They are vulnerable to the disease until they have received all three shots in their vaccination series, which means owners need to take extra precaution during this time to prevent their puppies from contracting the virus."
Samples have been sent to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory with some proving positive for parvovirus, though it has been stressed more research is needed.
Melissa FitzGerald, Director of Otsego County Animal Shelter, said that dogs were testing negative for parvo, meaning vets do not know what to treat the animal for. She urged owners to make sure their dogs were vaccinated.
Professor Jane Sykes works in medicine and epidemiology at the University of California. She told USA Today outbreaks like this do happen from time to time.
She said: "There are outbreaks like this that occur periodically.
"Sometimes it is a new pathogen, sometimes a combination of pathogens together with stressors in shelter environments, sometimes it can relate to diagnostic test problems, or problems with vaccination protocols."
