Canine Influenza Update 4/27/15
Canine Flu is highly contagious and all exposed dogs will become infected. About 20% will show no signs at all and 80% develop disease. Symptoms typically start to occur within 3-4 days of exposure (2-5 days). These dogs are contagious to others the first 7-8 days after they have been exposed. So a dog may be contagious before they have clinical symptoms. Flu virus can be spread on surfaces and through the air as in coughing or sneezing
Symptoms typically include nasal discharge, possibly a fever, lethargy, coughing, and possibly loss of appetite. Symptoms typically last a week to ten days. 5-8% of patients may develop life threatening pneumonia that is usually due to bacteria, germs that take advantage of the virus damaged lungs. Canine Flu cannot be diagnosed on clinical symptoms alone. Other “Kennel Cough” organisms produce similar symptoms.
Vaccination does NOT prevent Canine Influenza. The vaccine should reduce the severity and duration of the illness. The March / April Chicago area outbreak was just determined (4/16/15) to be of a different strain than the vaccine that is available. Both strains are an Influenza type A. It is unknown if the vaccine will help reduce severity and duration of this strain. None of the now 175+ Chicago confirmed cases were vaccinated for flu. 14 suspected cases were ParaInfluenza.
The vaccine is injectable and requires 2 doses timed 2-4 weeks apart. It is fully effective 10 – 14 days after the 2nd dose. This means that once we do recognize an outbreak here we can’t begin to help minimize severity and duration with vaccination for a minimum of 1 month! (Dose 1 – 2 wks, dose 2 + 2 wks)
We don’t really know if we should vaccinate for Canine Influenza at this time. Many leading veterinary specialists do feel the vaccine should help cross protect. It is all we have available to help control Canine Influenza and it will be many months before a new strain vaccine could be licensed, produced and available, if at all. It is also unknown how long the research or clinical evidence that will help us understand if there is cross protection will take to complete.
What should I do? Though all dogs are at risk, dogs that are social, go to areas where dogs mix together, should consider vaccination for Canine Influenza and updating Bordetella, Adenovirus-2, and ParaInfluenza protection (a tri-valent intranasal vaccine). “Social” means boarding, day care, grooming, training classes, competition, dog parks and dog walks to name a few common mixing points.
American Animal Hospital has been a leader in vaccine safety. We were many years ahead of other local clinics to move to the AAHA / AVMA recommended 3 year schedule for canine Distemper and feline Distemper group protocols. We are vaccinating our own dogs for both Canine Influenza and the trivalent “Kennel Cough” organisms because as pet health care workers our own pets may also be at risk.
We are setting up expedited visits and pricing to help our clients get this same protection. We are a preventative health-oriented practice and we’re here to help you. Watch for our FAQs being updated almost daily at this time.
Check out www.doginfluenza.com
–from Dr Pat, and your dedicated pet health care team at American Animal Hospital of Neenah