Canine Flu

With the outbreak of Canine flu in Chicago and several confirmed cases in Wisconsin and Iowa, the concern for Canine flu coming to Minnesota is increasing. There are many important things dog owners should know about the Canine flu. Canine influenza virus (CIV) has been present in the United States for about 10 years.

The very first outbreak happened in 2004 in a group of racing greyhounds in Florida. Since then, this flu (strain H3N8) has been traveling around the U.S, creating outbreaks. In Chicago, news reports say that over 1,000 dogs have been infected, and some dogs have died from complications from the flu. Shortly after the Chicago flu outbreak occurred, that flu strain got typed as H3N2. This is a strain that has not previously been seen in the United States, and we believe that it originated in Asia. We only have a vaccine against type H3N8. We do not know if that vaccine will be effective against strain H3N2, but we are hopeful that it will provide some cross immunity. Signs of canine flu include lethargy, fever, nasal discharge and cough.

At Westgate Pet Clinic, we are recommending that all social dogs (dogs that go to dog parks, kennels, or socialize with a lot of dogs) be vaccinated for canine flu. It is important that pet owners make an informed decision about whether or not to vaccinate based on the lifestyle and potential risk of exposure for their dog.