(image of Ella the Snow Dog by jpctalbot)
It's flu season. Did you know even your dog can
catch the flu too? It's not the same as the flu humans catch. Humans can't get
infected with the canine flu. The flu dogs get is called Canine Influenza (CIV)
and it is very contagious in certain “hot spot” regions in their dog
communities such as dog parks, doggie daycare, and dog boarding facilities. The
good news is that now your dog can get vaccinated for this nasty bug.
The canine flu is not in every city--only a few
"hot spots." So if your dog lives in these areas or will be traveling
to these areas you should consider talking to your vet about the virus and
vaccine. I recently had my dogs vaccinated because we live in a hot spot
and my dogs love to socialize with other dogs.
Canine
flu hot spots
Canine
Influenza hot spots include the following (and may include other cities too):
•
Miami
• Denver
• Northern Virginia regions
• Please note that other cities and regions can be added to this list if
outbreaks occur.
Canine flu symptoms
Not all dogs with the canine flu will show symptoms. According to another dog
lover’s website, Rachael
Ray, the symptoms in general for the canine flu include:
"Symptoms
of this respiratory virus include runny nose, coughing, mild fever, loss of
appetite and lethargy. It can last for 1 - 3 weeks, after which most dogs are
fine, with the exception of the very old or those with other health conditions
(just like humans).
Looking for more information?
Talk to your vet or visit the American
Veterinary Medical Association website.
