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Frequently
Asked Questions About Canine Flu |
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October 17, 2005
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You may have heard about a new and worrisome illness that has been
spreading from dog to dog. Initially raising public concern in 2004
when dogs who race at greyhound tracks were falling ill or dying,
this "canine influenza" is very contagious and has begun to infect
animals other than
racing greyhounds. |
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However, there is no need to panic at the first sign of respiratory
illness in your dog. Many dogs who contract canine flu clear it up
on their own, and with a few simple precautions, like keeping
potentially ill dogs away from other dogs, you can help to limit the
transmission of the disease. Read the frequently asked questions
below to find out more about this disease and how to detect it. |
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What is canine flu? |
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Canine influenza is a newly identified respiratory illness of dogs.
It is caused by a virus which is closely related to the horse flu
virus. Because canine flu is an emerging disease, dogs have no
natural immunity to it. Nearly all dogs exposed to the flu virus
will get infected, but not all will have clinical (that is, visible)
signs of the flu. Therefore, even dogs without clinical signs can
pass the virus to others because they may be infected with it. |
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Why haven't I heard about canine flu before now? |
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Canine flu is new. Initial cases of respiratory disease outbreaks
were reported at U.S. greyhound racetracks in 2004. It took many
months for the researchers to isolate, identify, and characterize
the virus and to prove that the virus was the cause of the
respiratory illness in the greyhounds. In early 2005, the disease
was identified in pet dogs in Florida. Cases have now been found in
several states. |
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How can my dog get canine flu? |
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The virus spreads most easily where a number of dogs are kept in
close proximity, such as boarding kennels, doggie day care, and dog
parks, but it can also be passed dog to dog "on the street." The
virus is present in respiratory secretions of infected animals—that
is, secretions from the nose. |
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How would I know if my dog has flu? |
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Dogs with flu have a fever, runny nose, and a cough. Unfortunately,
these symptoms are very similar to those of a well-known disease
called "kennel cough." However, kennel cough is a bacterial
infection for which there is an effective vaccine. They are alike in
that both the flu and kennel cough can progress to pneumonia, and
both must be treated by a veterinarian. Since the flu looks like
kennel cough, you cannot assume these symptoms are signs of kennel
cough. If your dog displays evidence of a fever, runny nose or
cough, call your veterinarian immediately. |
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Can my dog die from this disease? |
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Most dogs make a full recovery from the flu within a few weeks, but
there have been some cases reported in which the flu has progressed
to pneumonia. There have also been a few fatalities reported as a
result of this virus. Because this is a new disease, veterinary
medicine does not yet have adequate information to predict the
outcome in all dogs. Therefore, we cannot stress enough the
importance of getting veterinary care at the first sign of
respiratory disease, as early care does seem related to recovery. |
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Is there a blood test for the flu? |
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Although a blood test has been developed to determine if a dog has
been exposed to the canine flu virus, it is not available for rapid
diagnosis. Knowledge of exposure to the virus will not change how a
sick dog is treated, since there is no antiviral drug available to
shorten duration of the illness. |
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Can humans get flu from their dogs? |
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The equine flu virus has been around for more than 40 years ago, and
there has not been any documented transmission of this disease to
humans. Since the dog flu virus is so closely related to the equine
virus, CDC researchers do not expect transmission to humans. |
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Can my cat get flu from my dog? |
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There has been limited testing of cats exposed to dogs with flu. No
cats have developed this illness. |
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Is the canine flu related to the bird flu we hear so much
about? |
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This virus has been identified and scientifically named H3N8. It is
a different virus from the one that causes
bird flu. |
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Is there a dog flu "season"? |
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Since this is an emerging disease, we don't know all of the answers,
including whether there is a "flu season" for dogs. |
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Is there a vaccine for canine flu? |
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A vaccine is not currently available against canine flu. There is a
vaccine against kennel cough which we recommend for all dogs who
have even minimal contact with other dogs, but that vaccine will not
immunize your dog against canine flu. There is no cure for canine
flu, but there are some antibiotic medications that some dogs may
benefit from taking for secondary infections as a result of the flu,
as well as IV fluids in extreme cases. Discuss these with your
veterinarian if your dog becomes sick. |
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What should I do? |
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Because of the ease of transmission, we recommend that you keep your
pets away from dogs with cold-like symptoms, and do not allow them
to share toys, food or water bowls with other dogs. Owners should
keep any potentially sick dogs away from other dogs and public
situations. |
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© 2005 Dr. Amy I. Attas |
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Reprinted with permission from Dr. Amy Attas, VMD, City Pets,
101 West 57th Street, New York, New York, 10019. |
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