PawshPaws

Here is my final post about canine influenza. This information was collected from my vet’s office and is important for any dog owner or pet sitter to know…

What To Do If Your Dog Becomes Infected With The Canine Influenza

There is currently no specific treatment for canine influenza. As with all viral illnesses, the disease must run its course. Supportive care, such as providing a good diet and making sure your dog’s body has enough fluids, can help your dog fight the infection. A little extra tender loving care can also go a long way.

Sometimes canine influenza infections can become complicated by secondary bacterial infections. One sign of this is a yellow-green, thick nasal discharge, which your veterinarian may treat with an antibiotic. The coughing that comes with influenza is actually the body’s way of getting rid of the virus. If the cough is moist and productive, you should not try to stop it with a cough suppressant. Human “flu” medicines should not be given to your dog because they have not been studied or approved for use in dogs with canine influenza.

How can I protect my dog from canine influenza?

Protection starts by keeping your dog in good general health. A well-nourished, well-rested, and well-cared-for pet will have a stronger immune system to help fight off infection. When you must board your pet, make sure the facility is clean, well-maintained, and that there is an influenza outbreak management plan in place.

Recently, a new canine influenza vaccine – the first of its kind – was approved for use in the US. Canine Influenza Vaccine, H3N8 from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has been clinically proven to significantly reduce the severity of influenza and the length of time that a dog is sick. The initial vaccination requires 2 doses, 2-4 weeks apart, followed by annual revaccination. If your dog is presently being vaccinated for kennel cough (Bordetella), it is a likely candidate for Canine Influenza Vaccine, H3N8.

Your veterinarian can advise you whether this new influenza vaccine should be added to your dog’s vaccination schedule.

Where can I learn more about canine influenza?

Your veterinarian is the best person to answer any further questions you have about canine influenza. In addition, you may find it helpful to explore these websites for more information:

www.doginfluenza.com

www.avma.org/public_health/influenza/canine_bgnd.asp

www.sheletermedicine.com/portal/is_canine_influenza_update.shtml

To protect your pet, talk to your vet

Remember, your veterinarian is the best source of information regarding the health of your pet. After all, who knows more about the patient than the doctor? Don’t be shy about asking questions or scheduling time with your veterinarian just to talk. Finally, be sure to call your veterinarian if you have any questions about canine influenza or vaccination, or if you notice your dog coughing or showing other signs of a respiratory infection.

Here’s a continuation of the info about canine influenza that I got at my vet’s office…

How is canine influenza infection diagnosed?

It’s hard to diagnose canine influenza. Many times it can be confused with kennel cough because the signs are very similar. Often canine influenza is not suspected until the illness becomes unusually severe or lasts an unusually long time. Your veterinarian may collect blood or nasal swab samples; however, these laboratory tests may not confirm canine influenza infection because the samples must be taken at the appropriate time in the course of your dog’s illness. If your dog has a history of being exposed to other dogs with canine influenza, it is reasonable to suspect that your dog has something more than ordinary kennel cough.

Is my dog at risk for infection?

Most dogs, regardless of breed or age, are at risk for canine influenza. However, certain venues and activities can raise your dog’s risk of canine influenza infection even higher. Review this list of questions to see if any of these places or activities apply to your pet.

Does your dog:

*Come from a shelter, rescue center, breeding kennel, or pet store?

*Board at a kennel or go to doggie daycare?

*Attend a group training or “dog kindergarten”?

*Visit a groomer, dog parks, or engage with other dogs on daily walks?

*Enter dog events?

*Come into contact with other dogs in the waiting room during visits to your veterinary clinic?

IF you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, tell your veterinarian and ask what can be done to protect your dog from canine influenza.

How is canine influenza spread?

Canine influenza spreads the same way that human flu spreads – through direct contact (kissing, licking, nuzzling); through the air (coughing or sneezing); and via contaminated surfaces (such as when a person picks up the virus on their hands or clothing, then touches or pets a dog). Spread can also occur if that same person touches and contaminates another surface – a doorknob, for example.

The big news this year has been about the H1N1 virus. But were you aware that there is also a bad version of the flu going around for dogs? It’s called canine influenza and has been reported in 30 states so far.

I was in my vet’s office recently and picked up a pamphlet that explained everything to me and I want to pass the info on, so here it is…

What is canine influenza?

Canine influenza is a newly emerging infectious disease caused by a “flu” virus. In dogs, a highly contagious strain of the influenza A virus known as H3N8 is able to cause respiratory illness. Other strains of the influenza A virus are responsible for causing infections in birds, horses, pigs, and people. Canine influenza virus only affects dogs.

How contagious is canine influenza?

Just like human “flu”, canine influenza is highly contagious. In fact, unless a dog has already had the illness and recovered, virtually every dog exposed to the virus will become infected. This is because the virus is relatively new, and dogs have no natural immunity to it. While 100% of dogs are susceptible to influenza infection, about 80% of infected dogs will show signs of infection. Dogs that do not show signs of the disease can still spread the virus to other dogs.

Since2003, there have been numerous reports of influenza outbreaks in veterinary clinics, kennels, and shelters. Some of these outbreaks were traced back to the presence of one sick dog that spread the virus throughout the facility and infected many other dogs.

What are the signs of canine influenza?

The most common sign of canine influenza is a persistent cough. Some dogs have a soft, moist, “productive” cough, while others have a dry cough similar to that seen in dogs with kennel cough – a respiratory condition that is caused by any of a number of other viruses and bacteria. It’s this similarity to kennel cough that makes it hard for your veterinarian to diagnose which illness your dog has.

About 80% of dogs who show signs of influenza will have mild disease. Signs in this case include a low-grade fever, nasal discharge, lack of energy, loss of appetite, and a cough that can last for up to a month.

How serious is canine influenza?

Canine influenza is usually mild but can become quite serious in some dogs. In about 20% of the cases, more severe signs will occur, such as a high fever (104 degrees F to 106 degrees F) and pneumonia. A small number of dogs infected with the virus have died from complications associated with the disease.

During the holiday season, many dogs become ill and it’s important to know what to look for in order to determine what is needed.

Signs of ill health are the most important signs of the health status in your dogs. For example, if the dog has continuous nasal discharge, it indicates the presence of nasal congestion and if the discharge is thick, most of the times, the dog may have pneumonia.

If the dog vomits one or two times occasionally, this may not be taken as a serious sign of ill health but if the dog continues this vomiting, then this is something significant to be looked into.

If the dog has continuous itching, then one needs to check up the dog first by closer observation and examination of skin by separating the hair material especially in case of long haired breeds. You may also come across a lot of ticks or lice on skin, which may look apparently normal at a distance.

If the dog passes loose stool for one or two times, this need not be given more emphasis but if there is continuous passing of loose stool, then the dog is understood to suffer from bowel disorders. If the dog does not pass stool for two to three days, the digestive upsets needs to be ruled out carefully.

Just patiently observe the dog’s walking movements and rule out any abnormal movements in the dog. If the dog is limping, the animal may have foot lesions. Similarly, if the aged dog has reluctant walking and less feed intake along with repeated vomiting, then acute renal disorders like nephritis needs to be ruled out.

If there is whiteness in eyes, suspect the corneal opacity that may occur in diseases like trypanasomosis. When the dog becomes anemic, the mucous membrane of the eyes becomes paler and in severe cases, this may have wall white color. If the dog bites chain and owners or others, look for behavior disorders and rabies needs to be ruled out.

Ever wondered if regular check-ups are important for your dog?  Most dog owners ponder this question. And the truth is… if you failed to do the regular check-ups, then your dog may end up having some major diseases that you don’t know about.  Subsequently, you would need to pay lot of money to both the veterinarian for a consult and for the required drugs needed for the therapy of the clinical condition.

If you don’t have a lot of experience with dog diseases or dog rearing, you may not recognize the common clinical conditions of your dogs.  This is why check-ups are so important.   For example, if your dog has potbelly, the condition may not look abnormal many times. But if you take your dog in for a regular check-up, then the veterinarian can immediately diagnose the condition and give the appropriate therapy. If not, your dog may experience diarrhea and dehydration.

If your dog has any signs of illness, then don’t wait for their regular check-up. Instead, you need to visit the veterinarian immediately.  If done in a regular basis, check-ups will provide your dog with vaccinations against canine distemper, parvovirus, corona virus, rabies virus, hepatitis virus, and more.

Various booster vaccinations will be given during checkups. Many of these injections help to improve the immunity level of your dog in a remarkable degree against diseases . Regular check ups also include a complete stool examination to check for conditions such as heartworm.  If found, deworming may be carried out with drugs like fenbendazole, albendazole, etc.

Abnormalities like signs of pain may be ruled out during such  examinations.  If not, helminthiasis may affect the animal and diarrhea may occur in addition to the other types of digestive upsets and anemia. Regular examinations help to rule out the external parasitic conditions like lice or tick infestations.

And as mentioned in previous posts, dental problems are also diagnosed during the regular veterinary check ups.