Veterinarians say fears about 'mystery' dog illness may be overblown. Here's why

Many dog owners are worried about reports of a mysterious respiratory illness affecting dogs. (THEPALMER/Getty Images)

I watched anxiously as my 80-pound doodle trotted off to his regularly scheduled doggy daycare, blissfully unaware that he'd soon be swapping all manner of germs with his buddies.

I wondered, does this constitute a high-risk situation? This was the same small circle of dogs he played with every week, but I had no clue where the others spent their time.