Peggy Jo Shaw plans to be watchful but isn’t too worried about a resurgence of the canine flu, which sickened dozens of dogs around metro Atlanta last year.
“My dog stays inside a lot,” said Shaw, owner of 11-year-old McKensie, a West Highland white terrier. “She’s older so it’s not like she’s free-ranging out there at the park.”
Shaw, who also doesn’t board her dog, said she plans to keep an eye on McKensie but doesn’t plan to get her vaccinated unless it’s recommended by her veterinarian.
Last year, most of the cases were found in dogs that frequented dog parks or spent time in kennels, doggy day care and grooming facilities.
Just recently, some states are reporting what appears to be a resurgence of the highly contagious H3N2 strain of the canine flu. Earlier this month in Seattle, health officials said the virus was found in dogs who stayed at a local kennel and day care facility.
» Read more about the recent canine flu outbreak in Seattle here.
The kennel owner reported as many as 90 dogs developed respiratory illnesses since December, according to news reports.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted conditional approval of a vaccine against H3N2.
There are already vaccines available for another strain of canine flu — H3N8 — which many vets recommend; they have been available since 2009. It’s unclear whether a vaccine for H3N8 provides any protection against the H3N2 strain.
Dr. Stacy Stacy, a veterinarian at the Village Vets of Decatur, said her office has seen possibly one recent case of canine flu in a dog that came from Pennsylvania.
It was a lot different last year, when the office saw between 50 and 60 cases. “The vaccine’s efficacy is up for debate since we can’t predict what strain of flu will come next,” Stacy said. “If you’re a heavy boarder, yes; if not, it’s controversial.”
The canine flu, like other respiratory illnesses, is spread through respiratory secretions like droplets of mucus from sneezing or coughing that cling to the air and other surfaces, according to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. The virus can be killed with disinfectants.
Dogs that show no clinical signs can also spread the disease.
Typical signs include coughing, sneezing, loss of appetite, thick nasal discharge, malaise and fever.
If a dog is severely ill, it may require intravenous fluids and antibiotics. In a small percentage of cases, the disease can be fatal. Most dogs recover within two to three weeks, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Dr. Jeremiah T. Saliki, a professor and director of the Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Georgia, said the lab identified 113 positive samples during the 2015 outbreak. As of mid-January, there was only one positive case.
The lab tests samples from vets and clinics, but is not the only one to do so. Also, some pet owners may opt not to test for the flu.
Although the flu showed up years earlier, H3N2 in 2015 appears to have “struck at a time when conditions for its spread were very favorable — co-mingling of dogs such as in boarding facilities, occurrence in densely populated areas such as Chicago and Atlanta,” he said.
Dr. Duffy Jones, owner of Peachtree Hills Animal Hospital and past president of the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, has seen one recent case of canine flu. The dog had been at a boarding facility in Atlanta and “is doing just fine.”
He recently sent an email to clients explaining about the vaccine and its conditional approval.
“The studies on the conditional vaccine are still coming out,” he cautioned. A vaccine “can lessen the severity of the disease, but it really doesn’t totally prevent it. It doesn’t mean your dog is not going to get the flu.”
The H3N2 “is the strain that hit us pretty hard this past summer,” said Dr. Jennifer Pittman, a critical care specialist at Blue Pearl Georgia Veterinary Specialists in Sandy Springs. It hit its peak in the summer before finally abating.
She said there were more than 40 confirmed cases at their practice last year. “We felt we had a lot more, but many owners declined testing either because of cost or that it wouldn’t have changed our treatment protocol.”
Only one patient died from the disease. There have been no new cases since Nov. 28.
“It’s still out there, but we’re seeing it much, much less,” she said. “If your pet is going to be in a high-risk situation, the vaccine is worth giving.”
About the Author
