As if having to worry about protecting your fur babies from other dogs, ticks, and fleas wasn’t enough, there is one more thing to add to the list this summer: canine influenza, otherwise know as dog flu.
There has been a spike in cases within the last week. As Dr. Teresa Hershey of Westgate Pet Clinic in South Minneapolis says, “What I’m worried about is last week the initial report was three cases and now it’s gone up to 32 in a really short amount of time, in a week or two. It’s a really contagious virus and so I am worried it’s going to start spreading into other parts of Minnesota.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), there are two different strains of the virus: one is an H3N8, and the other is an H3N2 virus. While there is no worry about the virus infecting humans (at least at this time), it has been known to also infect cats.
The H3N8 virus originated in horses before crossing over to dogs, and now spreads easily from pup to pup. It was first identified in Greyhounds at a Florida dog track back in 2004; it was at this time it was labeled as a dog specific H3N8 flu.
The other version of this flu, H3N2, began as a strain of avian (bird) flu that eventually adapted to infect dogs. It first showed up in dogs back in 2007 in South Korea, and has been reported in Thailand and China since then as well. It was first detected in the United states in April 2015 after an outbreak in Chicago, Illinois.
Signs that your dog may be infected: cough, runny nose, fever, lethargy, eye discharge, and/or a reduced appetite (not unlike symptoms of flu in humans). However, your dog may not show any signs at all; the level of illness can range from no symptoms as just mentioned to severe sickness in pneumonia and death. It is a very low percentage, however, of dogs that pass away from either strain of canine influenza.
Dog Flu is passed to other dogs in all the same ways as the flu does in human beings: It is typically spread in confined places such as shelters and kennels, and can be spread through the air from a dog coughing or sneezing or through virus cells left on things such as toys, blankets, clothing, or other surfaces.
As always the best for of defensive in illnesses is prevention. A vaccine is now available for both strains in the United States. As with most medical decisions, you will want to discuss this option with your doctor; it will probably come down to the health and age of your dog, as, just like the flu that hits humans, it typically targets the very young and seniors or dogs with immune deficiencies.
As cases are on the rise, make sure to keep an eye on your pet. If you see them coughing, with a runny nose, or any of the other aforementioned symptoms, give your vet a call and make an appointment.
