Yes, dogs can get the flu, too
The current flu season is being called the most widespread since health officials started keeping records 13 years ago.
But the fever, hacking cough, breathing difficulty may not just be confined to a family's human members.
Canine influenza, or dog flu, is on the rise, according to local veterinarians. And while no cases have been reported in Butler County yet, outbreaks have gotten as close as Ohio.
“Canine influenza is just like flu in people,” said Dr. Nicole Milligan, a veterinarian with the Sarver Animal Hospital, 616 S Pike Road Sarver.
“It's not a strain that can infect people,” Milligan said. “It's a fairly new viral infection in dogs.
“There are two strains. The initial strain kind of first came out 15 to 20 years ago in racing dogs. They think it jumped from another species,” she said.
“It started with racing greyhounds. Greyhounds are more susceptible as a breed. We are not sure why,” said Dr. Amy Wilson, a veterinarian with Butler Veterinary Associates, 1761 N. Main St. Extension.
“The more recent outbreaks have been in Chicago, Ohio and other Midwest areas. This is the second strain,” said Milligan.
Wilson said the flu's symptoms include difficulty breathing, nasal discharge, a cough and loss of appetite.
Milligan said, “Coughing is the big one, coughing and hacking phlegm.
“If it develops into pneumonia it could be serious. It could be life threatening,” she said.
Milligan said the virus causing the influenza can't be treated, only the secondary symptoms it causes.
Milligan said, “There are medicines to bring the fever down. If they are not eating, they may need to be hospitalized.”
Most dogs can fight off the flu without veterinary treatment, in five to seven days, Milligan said
And dogs can spread the virus to other animals for a few weeks once they have been ill, Milligan said, so it's important to keep them away from other animals.
Just like people, the more animals are exposed, the greater chance of contacting the flu virus.You should avoid going to areas with high numbers of dogs that make exposure easier, such as boarding facilities and dog parks, said Milligan.Michele Slupe, the Butler County Human Society's executive director, said the facility presently housing 42 dogs at 1015 Evans City Road in Connoquenessing Township, hasn't had any cases of dog flu, and it aims to keep it that way.“Upon intake, there is a series of tests a dog has to go through to evaluate his health and wellness,” said Slupe. “If the flu turns up, the dog goes into a quarantine area.”“We have an air filtration system that separates airborne organisms, protecting the kennel population,” Slupe said.Wilson said, while there is a vaccine for the dog flu at a cost of $35 to $50 a shot, “I'm not sure if it protects against the new strain.”“It lessens the severity of the disease, it doesn't prevent the flu, ”said Wilson.Its drawback, besides its questionable effectiveness, is that the vaccine has to be delivered in two shots a month apart, Wilson said. The vaccine is effective for about a year.“But I don't know if we need to be super-concerned about it yet. I think at this point, we are not vaccinating for it. I can't speak for other practices in the area,” Wilson said.
