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  1. #1
    Senior Dog BaconsMom's Avatar
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    Hey POPTOP, Canine Influenza Question for you!

    Hey POPTOP, I know you are living in an area where Canine Influenza is running rampant. First of all, I hope both Mardi and Archie are doing well! I had a question. What are you doing to avoid infection for Mardi and Archie? Minnesota just had it's first confirmed case this past weekend in Northern MN, which is also where we are taking our vacation in mid June. I will be talking with our vet before we go, etc. However, it is making me nervous! Just wanting some wisdom from someone who has been seeing it first hand.
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  2. #2
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    I am Curious too. 4 confirmed cases here in Grand Rapids and Hemi is an active boy. I am going to ask the vet tonight as Hemi is going for his Dog Scout Camp Physical. However, Poptop seems to be around Ground Zero.

  3. #3
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Ground Zero is right. Out of about 404 dogs tested, about 215 were positive, highest in the US.

    No problem with Mardi since she cannot walk any distance. She mainly putters around the house and yard. Archie is more of a challenge. We do to Bass Pro, to a local park where it's mostly people walking around a lake, the feed store (if I go mid week there are no other dogs there). The dog beach is out. Have not gone to PetsMart but he sure needs his nails trimmed and they do such a good job since he is antsy. We also go to the marina and walk the docks. Basically it's anywhere where we know he'll be the only dog, or if other dogs, no close contact.

    The idea is no close dog contact. It spreads like human flu, close contact and droplets in the air. Contact with dogs you know are OK should not be a problem. Also, if any symptoms show, to the vet immediately. It's a treat the symptoms type disease since it is a virus. Some dogs need medicated steam, maybe antibiotics for secondary infections. A dog can be contagious for up to 2 weeks prior to showing symptoms itself. Puppies, older dogs, dogs that was medically compromised in any way are the ones who have a rough time with it.

    They cannot live in a bubble so a few simple precautions should keep them safe. Jeff, I'd certainly contact Dog Camp and see what their policies are. Unfortunately, the vaccine is not effect against the strain that is spreading around here.
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  4. #4
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    Oh the camp is aware of it and it is a concern but it is one of those you can't do a whole lot about it especially if a dog is not showing and signs of symptoms. So camp is still going on, all dogs need to have a camp physical within a month of visiting and Hemi got his last night. Clean bill of health. I decided to get him the flu vaccine as well. While it may not protect against this strain it will against a lot of others. Which if anyone is interested and which I didn't know the flu vaccine are 2 shots about 2-4 weeks apart and then it still takes a month before they are vaccinated against flu. So if your planning a trip it's not something you can just go in get one shot and your done. It is a little more involved.

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  6. #5
    Puppy LabraGal's Avatar
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    Another Chicago area owner here. When the flu became a problem around here, I decided to get the flu vaccine for Remi. Unfortunately, we didn't know at the time that the vaccine was for the wrong strain. Once that became apparent, I decided to complete the second round anyway.

    I do agility almost every weekend and we did not stop doing agility because of the flu. There were discussions at every trial about avoiding contact with other dogs as much as possible. But at most trials there's just no avoiding relatively close contact with other dogs.

    That said, I never heard of anyone in the Chicago area who was doing agility and had a dog that came down with the canine flu. Cases of the flu seemed to be reported from dogs at shelters or dogs that frequented dog parks (I do not go to dog parks with my dogs). I'd like to think that people in the dog sport community are wise enough to know when their dogs may have been exposed to the flu, and know to leave them at home. Or maybe we just got lucky.

    Really all you can do is avoid contact with other dogs and places where other dogs have been as much as possible.
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  7. #6
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LabraGal View Post
    Another Chicago area owner here. When the flu became a problem around here, I decided to get the flu vaccine for Remi. Unfortunately, we didn't know at the time that the vaccine was for the wrong strain. Once that became apparent, I decided to complete the second round anyway.

    I do agility almost every weekend and we did not stop doing agility because of the flu. There were discussions at every trial about avoiding contact with other dogs as much as possible. But at most trials there's just no avoiding relatively close contact with other dogs.

    That said, I never heard of anyone in the Chicago area who was doing agility and had a dog that came down with the canine flu. Cases of the flu seemed to be reported from dogs at shelters or dogs that frequented dog parks (I do not go to dog parks with my dogs). I'd like to think that people in the dog sport community are wise enough to know when their dogs may have been exposed to the flu, and know to leave them at home. Or maybe we just got lucky.

    Really all you can do is avoid contact with other dogs and places where other dogs have been as much as possible.
    Think you've hit it on the nose. Being aware and taking precautions by limiting dog-to-dog contact with dogs you are not familiar with (or whose owners are not familiar with the outbreak) is going to help tremendously limit the spread. One rescue that completely closed due to, from what was reported, all the dogs becoming infected, is getting ready to open again. It was closed for a month. One or two of their dogs died. Once they discovered about half the dogs had the flu, they closed down and treated symptomatically all the dogs.

    Prime example was today. Man and his daughter were walking their akita. Absolutely gorgeous dog, friendly, and HUGE. Not fat, just a big, big dog. The dog was fantastic with the little girl but he man said he unfortunately was not dog friendly; he had been attacked twice by other dogs. This man had not heard about the canine flu outbreak. It's folks like that with their dogs who might have been exposed to other dogs that worry me. Sure did love meeting this beauty though.
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  8. #7
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    I honestly don't know anything about agility. But I'm sure it's like a lot of "working dog" type activities. You're dog is up to bat, does it's thing and then goes back to it's box or it's own holding area that the owner/handler manages. They aren't picking up bones other dogs have slobbered on, or sniffing butts and licking jowls or other canine "sharing". That and like you have mentioned, the owners are responsible. (Shoot... I'd feel horrible if I exposed the dogs in our training group to a transmissible disease.)

    So far I don't know of any outbreaks out west, but let me know if I'm wrong.

 



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