The H1N1 "swine" flu is a topic that makes the news daily, with new reports of outbreaks across the country. But, what about the H3N8 flu - the dog flu? We don't hear about that so much.
Recently, our own Dr. Bill reported on the dog flu or canine influenza, as vet's will say. His report shows that "Canine influenza is extremely contagious and while humans are not affected by this flu strain, they can unknowingly pass it from an infected dog to an unaffected dog." This flu can be spread via contaminated objects, and the dogs at risk may be those in kennels, boarding facilities, or animal shelters. In fact, the report notes that show dogs are also at risk - by being in close proximity to other dogs.
"If your dog is exposed to another dog that has the canine influenza virus, it is highly likely your dog will come down with the dog flu," Dr. Bill says. "Pet owners whose dogs are coughing or showing other signs of respiratory disease should not participate in activities or bring their dogs to facilities where other dogs can be exposed to the virus." Dr. Bill, DVM, is the Chief Medical and Underwriting Director of PurinaCare® Pet Health Insurance and often participates in podcasts on this blog, with Dr. Larry.
Dog Flu symptoms include:
- A cough similar to "kennel cough" (kennel cough is caused by the Bordetella organism, not H3N8)
- Fever
- Runny note
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
Treatment for dog flu includes the dog flu vaccination, intravenous fluids, a broad spectrum of antibiotics, and prompt medical care. It's up to us, as pet owners, to be on the look-out for this contagious disease, and to protect both our own dog(s) and our friend's and relative's dogs.
If you have questions regarding this disease, please post a comment and I'll get Dr. Bill or Dr. Larry to answer.