It’s apparent that there’s an ongoing outbreak of LDDD, a potentially fatal dog-associated problem in people in this area. It seems to be a seasonal disorder, with nice weather bringing out more cases. I’ve seen a couple nasty cases in the past 24 hours, including one tonight that could have resulted in the deaths of an entire family.

What is LDDD?

A new bacterial infection? No.

A new virus? Nope.

Contrary to the focus on this site, it’s not even an infectious disease. It’s lap dog/dumb driver syndrome

Tonight’s case was fairly classic, involving the driver of an SUV and a small dog…on the driver’s lap with its head out the window. The driver had one hand (and I’m not sure how many eyes) on the dog, and the SUV swerved off the road, but fortunately not all the way into the ditch (or a pedestrian, cyclist or other vehicle).

In Ontario, it’s illegal to drive while using a cell phone. Restraining a small (or not so small) dog on your lap has to be at least as distracting and it’s far from rare. A little common sense goes a long way, but common sense isn’t always that common.