More than 1,000 cases of canine infectious respiratory disease have been reported in recent weeks, with at least five dogs dying from the infection.

“It’s almost an epidemic,” Dr. Jerry Klein told CBS station WBBM-TV. “I’ve been here for 35 years, it’s probably the worst type of outbreak I’ve ever experienced.” …

People cannot get it from their pets, but the illness is extremely contagious between dogs that come into close contact with each other.