Canine flu highly contagious
/ File photo
Has Fido had his flu shot this year? Did you know dogs can suffer from influenza, just like humans. "There's going to be coughing, sneezing, and oftentimes will have a flu, but that is usually missed by the owners," says veterinarian Dr. Michael Goldman.
The canine influenza virus was originally a horse flu virus that spread to dogs. Now, it can spread between dogs. Because of that, vets are now recommending a vaccine for dogs that will spend any time in close quarters with other dogs like at a kennel.
Canine flu is not fatal but is highly contagious. "It is a new disease to dogs, and they have no immunity to it already," says Dr. Goldman.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus was identified as a “newly emerging pathogen in the dog population” in the U.S. in 2005.
The virus can be spread by direct contact with other dogs, by contact with contaminated objects and by people moving between infected and uninfected dogs.
What do you need to watch out for? Keep a close eye on your pet over the next few months. Symptoms include cough, runny nose and fever. A small number of dogs can develop severe disease from it. “When you have the flu, it makes you more susceptible to bacterial infections such as pneumonia,” Goldman added. He says there is no prescribed treatment for the dog flu, but resulting bacterial infections would be treated with antibiotics.
There is currently no evidence that the dog flu can be transmitted to humans.
Do you know of any dogs that have been infected with the canine flu? How did the virus impact them? Leave your thoughts below.
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