Canine Influenza

Recently, we have been getting questions from some of our pet owners about a new dog virus called canine influenza. Canine Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can cause coughing, runny nose, watery eyes, loss of energy and/or loss of appetite. The signs of infection are similar to those of other respiratory diseases in dogs, but the coughing caused by canine influenza can last for several weeks. With proper care, most dogs generally recover. However, canine influenza can lead to more severe or even life-threatening infections, such as pneumonia, and has been fatal in up to 8% of cases. Because canine influenza is caused by a relatively new virus, there is no natural immunity among dogs. Dogs of any age or breed are at risk, but certain activities can increase your dog’s risk of infection. Visiting places where dogs congregate, such as kennels, doggie daycares, dog parks, or grooming facilities puts dogs at higher risk for catching this new virus. About 80% of infected dogs will show signs of infection and those that don’t can still spread the virus to other dogs. The best way to protect your dog from canine influenza is through vaccination. Like the human flu vaccine, the new canine influenza vaccine doesn’t completely prevent infection, but it can dramatically reduce the severity of the disease. The vaccine also significantly reduces the amount of virus that dogs shed, minimizing spread to other dogs—so it’s the ideal way to protect our local canine community. We recommend vaccinating at risk dogs. We recommend that all Greyhounds be vaccinated no matter their exposure. The initial vaccination requires two doses of the vaccine given 3 weeks apart and then annually thereafter. A field study of 795 dogs vaccinated showed no adverse reactions to the vaccine. We now have the canine influenza H3N8 vaccine available. Please call with any questions or to make an appointment.