- Common Disease Name:
- Dog Flu
- Medical Term for Disease:
- Canine Influenza
- Species Affected by Disease:
- Dogs
- Age Animal Usually Affected:
- Any, but outbreaks have been seen in adults
- Commonly Affected Breeds
- Any, however was originally seen in 2004 in Greyhound at racetracks. However it has been found in a outbreak in a New York boarding kennel.
- Sex Usually Affected:
- None
- Disease Symptoms:
- Much like Kennel cough, with coughing, listlessness, runny nose, fever. However the fever is high, often over 105 F (normal is around 101-102) and a drop in white blood cell count.
- Methods) of Diagnosis:
- Clinical signs, blood chemistry and complete blood count. May be able to find virus with respiratory swabs, trantracheal washes and serum tests for virus during the acute phase and during convalescence, or post-mortem tissue samples.
- Disease Causes:
Exposure to the H3N8 strain of influenza virus previously only associated with horses. Virus is passed dog to dog by sneezing and coughing and contact dog to dog, or with surfaces which have been contaminated with viral particles.- Treatment
- Mostly supportive with fluids and antibiotics for secondary infection. Eighty percent of the dogs exposed will become ill. Up to 10% can die from the infection, especially if not treated.
- Prognosis:
- Very good with treatment. Signs can least 2-3 weeks. There have been reported fatalities in up to 10% of cases.
- Complications:
- Pneumonia
- Prevention:
- Do not allow your dog to socialize with a dog that coughs, as flu is highly contagious. Keep alert of boarding kennel news.
- Medicines Used for Treatment of Disease:
- Supportive treatment- Fluids and antibiotics. Anti-viral drugs are not yet approved for use in dogs.
