North Texas animal shelter says 65% of its dogs suspected of having the flu. How to tell if yours is sick
As the flu season arrives for humans, should fur fathers and mothers worry about the canine variety?
At Operation Kindness, a no kill animal shelter for cats and dogs located in Carrollton, 65% of their dogs are suspected to have canine influenza this month, shelter spokesperson Natalie Buxton told the Star-Telegram.
“It’s spread through respiratory droplets that are produced through coughing, sneezing, or simply a dog barking for example,” Buxton said. “So, those are things dogs love to do. It’s very easy for them to spread it.”
Canine influenza is a contagious respiratory disease in dogs. It is caused by a Type A influenza virus, of which there are two strains. One is the H3N8 virus which originates from horses. The other is the H3N2 which comes from birds infecting dogs.
Buxton said the shelter has not seen a scale of infection among their dogs since she started working there in 2013.
“It’s not something that we typically have seen in our shelter. So definitely this year is worse than any previous year,” she said.
What are the signs your dog may have the flu?
The Carollton shelter has been working with the University of Wisconsin Shelter Medicine Program for guidance on how to deal with the infections.
“We’re collecting samples and sending them to their team for testing,” Buxton said. “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?
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.
