Does your dog have the flu? Recent outbreak in Fort Worth shelter underscores danger
Canine influenza is a virus to watch for with your fur babies.
Fort Worth’s Chuck and Brenda Silcox Animal Care and Adoption Center at 4900 Martin St. recently shut down for an outbreak of the virus. Operation Kindness, a no kill animal shelter for cats and dogs in Carrollton, suspected nearly two thirds of their animals were infected in November 2022.
Here’s what to know about the virus.
What are the signs your dog may have the flu?
The Carrollton shelter has worked with the University of Wisconsin Shelter Medicine Program for guidance on how to deal with the infections.
The shelter suspected an outbreak of the virus when 65% of their animals came back with positive tests.
“We’re collecting samples and sending them to their team for testing,” Carrollton shelter spokesperson Natalie Buxton told the Star-Telegram at the time. “So, that’s how they’ve been able to identify for us that it is canine influenza.”
Here are the symptoms of the dog flu:
Cough
Runny nose
Fever
Lethargy and a lack of energy
Discharge from the eyes
Lack of appetite
Not all dogs will show signs of the illness, the CDC notes. But the infection can lead to more severe illness that results in pneumonia and even death.
How long does it take for a dog to recover from the flu?
It will generally take two to three weeks for an animal to recover from the symptoms of canine influenza.
“It probably feels like a long time to the dog,” she said. “But after they get through that period of time, they’ll be back to their normal selves. Back to their overall energy level.”
If symptoms persist or if the dog’s illness worsen, pet owners should contact their veterinarian, Buxton said.
Could it just be a kennel cough and not the flu?
Canine influenza is highly contagious, and shelters like Open Kindness take it very seriously. Diagnosing the illness can often be tricky because of overlapping symptoms.
“We’ve been very proactive in identifying that this is what it was because it does look very similar to your difficult upper respiratory infection,” Buxton said.
The staff at the Carrollton shelter responded quickly to the diagnosis, she said, and placing sick dogs in quarantine.
“And then also getting them the care that they needed,” she added.
According to the CDC, dog flu is a virus as opposed to kennel cough which is a bacterial infection. It is much more difficult to treat a virus like the dog flu. Kennel cough on the hand, because it is bacterial, is easily treated with antibiotics, per the CDC.
What to do with dogs with influenza?
There really is no cure for the dog flu. Veterinarians recommend keeping the animal hydrated and comfortable until the symptoms pass.
“So it is kind of similar to treating the flu with a human. It’s a lot of fluids. It is making sure that they’re comfortable and that they see the veterinarian, who may prescribe antibiotics or inflammatory medications,” Buxton said.
Is there a vaccine for canine influenza?
Vaccines to protect dogs against both H3N8 and H3N2 canine flu are available in the United States. Contact a veterinarian for more information about these vaccines and whether your dog should get one.
