Dog Flu Case Reported at Etowah Valley Humane Society

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The Etowah Valley Humane Society on Friday said a lab test has confirmed the presence of Asian canine influenza A (H3N2) at its facility.

According to post on its Facebook page, the Cartersville-based facility told its followers the test came back positive on Thursday.

“We at EVHS take great strides to minimize the threats of infectious disease,” the agency wrote. “Over the years, we have put in place very stringent intake procedures that meet or exceed shelter medicine guidelines or GA (sic) Department of Agriculture mandates. We take our jobs very seriously. The health and well-being of the animals is job number one. Once we detect any signs of illness, regardless of nature, proper medications or treatments are administered immediately. If the staff cannot adequately control the malady, we seek licensed veterinary care.”

The Etowah Valley Humane Society, a private, non-profit organization, is the adoption arm for Bartow County Animal Control.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website on the topic, canine influenza is a contagious respiratory disease caused by specific virus known to infect dogs. Signs of illness include cough, runny nose and fever. However, the CDC adds not all dogs will show these symptoms.

The severity of illness associated with canine flu in dogs can range from no signs to severe illness resulting in pneumonia and sometimes death.

The CDC notes nearly all dogs are susceptible to infection, and the illness tends to spread among dogs that are housed in kennels and shelters. The virus is spread to other dogs by direct contact with respiratory secretions through coughing and sneezing from infected dogs, by uninfected dogs coming into contact with objects that are contaminated and by moving those contaminated items between infected and uninfected dogs.

Once the staff had suspicions about a possible respiratory infection among the dogs, the group noted it placed all animals in the run on an antibiotic regimen. Veterinarians came and examined the dogs, and cultures were taken and sent to a lab at the University of Georgia for analysis.

Etowah Valley staff also disinfected and scrubbed all exposed surfaces in the shelter, including the lobby and common areas. That task started July 20, and has been done each day. Its 14 kennel runs have also been pressure washed with the virucide, something it said will be done at least twice a week.

Follow the report’s confirmation, the Humane Society reached out to Associate State Veterinarian Dr. Wendy Cuevas-Espelid and local veterinarians to get their opinions on its procedures and protocols. Etowah Valley states that the experts told them that “this could not have been prevented due to the nature of our vocation.”

Those veterinarians also told the staff they did nothing wrong and they followed every protocol. Since the group receives no background information on the homeless pets that come to its facility, they are not briefed on what they’ve been exposed to, the group said.

Once pets enter the facility, Etowah Valley staff vaccinates them against the most common diseases in the community, including parvo, leptospirosis, giardia, distemper, feline FIV & FeLV and rabies. Etowah Valley states no known vaccine exists for this strain of dog flu.

The society reiterates that no animals have died in its care and it “appears that the worst is over.” However, the facility will remain closed to the public to allow the virus to run its course. That, the society notes, could take two weeks or longer.

The staff had to also cancel its Animal Explorer Summer Day Camp, which was set to take place July 25.

In the meantime, the society is encouraging residents to take proactive measures if they decided to take their pets out in public: keep them on a leash and away from unfamiliar dogs and environments.

“In closing, please know that no one with our organization has tried to conceal anything from the public,” the group concluded. “In an effort to be completely transparent and knowledgeable on the subject, we simply needed to know the facts before we made any statement. We will continue to gather information and reveal our findings. I invite you to research this information and educate yourselves on this virus. Our great homeless pets will survive and so will EVHS with your understanding.”

Pet owners whose dogs are showing symptoms are strongly advised not to expose their dogs to others. More information about canine influenza can be found on the CDC’s website.

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Photo via Etowah Valley Humane Society’s Facebook page