Canine Flu Cases On The Rise
More and more outdoors events are being cancelled, more and more dogs are being affected, and more and more Midwestern cities are bracing for the worst.
Health officials, especially in the Chicago area, have cautioned dog owners that a recent surge in the number of reported cases of canine flu could continue for SEVERAL weeks.
According to the Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control, veterinarians have already identified over 1,000 cases of Influenza or H3N8, including some deaths.
Although sick dogs can be asymptomatic, they are still contagious, and dog owners are being warned to avoid dog parks and to keep their dogs away from other dogs. Because the virus can spread so easily from dog to dog, shelters and sanctuaries, day cares and boarding kennels are especially concerned and particularly at risk.
Both Bordetella and the flu virus have symptoms that mimic each other. Symptoms of the flu include persistent coughing, dry cough, fever, nasal discharge, lack of energy, and loss of appetite. In about 20 percent of cases, more severe symptoms can occur, including high fever and pneumonia. A small number of dogs can also die from complications of the disease.
Canine flu, which first appeared in dogs in 2005, is NOT contagious to humans and WON’T spread to cats, but people who have been in contact with a dog infected by the virus CAN inadvertently spread it to their own and other dogs. Careful hand washing after petting a dog, any dog, may help to slow the spread somewhat.
Although outbreaks occur then dissipate unpredictably, the good news is that there is now a vaccine for your dog available from your veterinarian.
For more information, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/canine/