As the nation braces for what could be a rough flu season, dog owners wonder whether their households might get hit with a second threat: canine flu.
A much-publicized outbreak of dog flu in Northern Virginia last week -- the latest in scores of outbreak clusters from Miami to Denver in the past five years -- has put the spotlight on the highly contagious disease, which doesn't infect humans.
Veterinarians up and down the Eastern Seaboard are fielding calls from concerned pet owners; clinics, groomers and boarding kennels are paying extra attention to sniffling dogs and preparing contingency plans in case a flu-infected animal enters their doors; and concern is sufficiently high that don't-panic statements are being issued.
Many vets are embarking on crash courses in the canine influenza virus (CIV) and studying up on the effectiveness of the first vaccine, conditionally licensed in May by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Developer Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health says it significantly reduces the duration and severity of symptoms and dramatically curbs the flu's spread. Cost: about $20 for each of the series of two shots, given two to four weeks apart.
The 22 practices in 10 states that make up Pet Partners animal hospital group met in a "roundtable discussion" last week to share the latest information about the vaccine, says chief medical director Thomas Butera -- an approach that's underway at many vet clinics. And Cynda Crawford, a University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine infectious-disease specialist who was instrumental in identifying the virus in racing greyhounds in 2004, is hearing from veterinarians who seek advice.
Bottom line, Crawford says: Unless your dog is regularly in close contact with other dogs, especially if you live in what she calls a "hot zone" where there's an outbreak or where there have been multiple past outbreaks -- the vaccination probably isn't necessary. Dogs with weakened health or those traveling to hot zones are special cases that require discussion with a veterinarian.
The vast majority of dogs that contract CIV recover in one to three weeks (though up to 5% die, usually of pneumonia that develops secondary to the flu -- generally older dogs, puppies and dogs with already compromised immune systems). And some will develop severe versions of the normal coughing, fever, runny-nose, loss-of-appetite symptoms. Some will require what vets call "supportive" help to keep sufficiently hydrated and fevers in check and sometimes antibiotics to battle pneumonia.
The American Veterinary Medical Association is not recommending vaccinating all dogs. But dogs that receive the Bordetella vaccine, the association says, should be considered strong candidates for flu vaccination because they've been determined to be at risk for the much-less-serious kennel cough through regular contact with many dogs, and that puts them at higher risk for CIV.
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