Dog Flu - Again

[POPTOP]

Reported on the news tonight, dog flu is on the upswing in the Chicagoland area. Unlike human flu, dogs can catch this year round and it lasts about 2 weeks. The first few days the dog is asymptomatic but can spread the disease as it is airborne.

[barry581]

UGH. Hopefully yours will avoid it.

[Blackboy98]

Bummer. Hope it is seasonal and will disappear when warm weather returns.

[smartrock]

I asked my vet about the vaccine when I took Chase in for his annual check up. She said they're not offering it at this time although I have read there is one available. My 2 don't go to dog shows or day care but they do get boarded now and then. The old flu vaccine covers the H3N8 strain, I think the new strain is H3N2. The kennel we use requires the old canine flu vaccine. I don't think that flu is prevalent in my area yet.

[Laura]

Ugh. Enough of that flu! We were in Chicago about a week and a half ago and I was surprised by how many dogs I didn't see out and about.

[klnst3]

Yuck! What kinds of symptoms do the get? Is it like our regular flu with fever, aches, cold-like symptoms? Or do they get the stomach flu-like symptoms? I don't think it's been very prevalent in our area, so I don't know much about it.

[POPTOP]

Yuck! What kinds of symptoms do the get? Is it like our regular flu with fever, aches, cold-like symptoms? Or do they get the stomach flu-like symptoms? I don't think it's been very prevalent in our area, so I don't know much about it.

Here is a site that lists the symptoms: Canine Influenza FAQ: What You Need to Know | Zoetis Inc.

When it originally appeared in our area, the current dog flu vaccination was not effective against the strain. As I understand, there is a new vaccine out now and, of course, a new strain of flu. I've not had Mardi and Archie vaccinated as they are not boarded or in training right now. Dog to dog contact has also not been much.

[Molly41]

My vet is vaccinating for the new flu virus. Molly & Jack just received the first shots for the new vaccine. They go back next week for the booster. I have been vaccinating them for the old flu as well. They go into boarding sporadically and the old flu vaccination is required. Per my vet, one of the concerns with this new strain is that the dogs stay contagious for a much longer period. That makes it more difficult to control. After doing battle with the flu one year (Molly was so sick), I am glad this is now available.