Canine Flu
There has been a lot of media attention about a new and emerging influenza virus affecting dogs. As happens too often, the facts have been exaggerated, and people have become overly alarmed. Here's the most up to date factual information on the disease, answering the most common questions we've received.

What is it? Canine flu is thought to be a mutation of a virus that commonly causes flu in horses. This virus first made the "jump" from horses to dogs around four years ago. At this time it cannot infect other animals or people. The prospects of that happening can be quite scary though, similar to present fears about the Avian flu.

Can my dog get it? Since it is a new and emerging virus, dogs have not been exposed to it before and therefore have no natural immunity. All dogs are susceptible to developing the disease if exposed to it.

How can my dog get it? The Canine Flu is transmitted just like all flu viruses. It is transmitted via airborne particles when in close contact with infected dogs. It is spread through nasal secretions and coughing. It can't live more than five hours in the environment and is killed by most viral disinfectants. So it can only be caught if your dog comes in close contact with an infected dog.

What are the symptoms? There is a two to five day incubation period after contact. Infected dogs remain contagious for seven to ten days, although some symptoms can last longer. Most dogs develop a severe cough similar to that of infectious tracheobronchitis or "kennel cough". This is often accompanied by a thick nasal discharge and a high fever. The cough may persist for three to four weeks. Just as in people, some cases can progress to pneumonia with sometimes serious consequences. Treatment consists of supportive care such as intra-venous fluids if needed and antibiotic therapy. To date, anti-viral drugs have not been very effective.

Is there a test for it? The Veterinary College at Cornell University has developed a blood test for detecting antibodies against the virus which can confirm the disease.

Is it always fatal? This has been greatly exaggerated by the media. While all exposed dogs may develop the disease, the mortality rate is only one to five percent. So this definitely is not the "Deadly Dog Flu Virus" that headlines have made it out to be. Outcomes are usually favorable when caught early and before pneumonia develops.

Is there a vaccine? At this time, there is no available vaccine against this virus. Researchers are working on one and hopefully will have one ready in the near future. We will notify all our dog patients when a vaccine is released.

How can I prevent it? Since Canine Flu is transmitted through direct contact, avoiding contact with other dogs is the best way to keep your dog from contracting it. This would mean avoiding parks, dog shows, kennels and places where dogs have direct contact with other dogs. However, since there is a short incubation period, it is not likely that a healthy dog would be carrying the disease, so controlled contact is probably still reasonable.

In summary, Canine Flu is a serious disease, but behaves in a similar fashion to human flu. The same common sense precautions and treatments apply. Keeping your dog supervised and close to home is your best defense. Please contact us if you have any further questions. At this time, we have not seen any cases in our practice.