The Dog Flu, a preemptive strike

The dog flu that hit the Midwest this last summer has spread its wings and shown up in a few Western states. As a result, we want to talk about the dog flu and what it means for you and for us at Wags & Wiggles. We have had no cases of the dog flu at Wags & Wiggles nor heard of any cases in our surrounding areas, but we like to be on top of what could effect our pups.

  

Any time there is a threat of illness we are on red alert and keep and extra eye out. From either news stories or a sign of an ill dog, we go into extra diligent mode. On a normal day our building is completely cleaned at the end of each day to get ready for the following day, as well as any spot cleaning that needs to happen during the play day.  When any illnesses are going around (either reported from local veterinarians, talked about at dog shows, seen on the news, or a dog comes in here and is noticed to be ill) we also do extra steps to clean the air, since most of these viruses are airborne and spread just like a cold for us humans at the office, in the grocery store, and like kids schools.  We excuse any dog from daycare that has any possibly symptoms and have, unfortunately, had to turn dogs away at intake as we noticed the dogs were ill.  We take it very seriously. 

So, the dog flu…The most common symptoms of the dog flu are high fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, sore throat and loss of appetite. How do you know to take precaution? If your dog shows behavioral changes like being more distant when he is typically cuddly (or vice versa), he shows less interest in food, or has less energy then it may be a sign. If that is the case it is best to keep away from doggie social situations until you are sure your dog is well. This is not only for the sake of the other dogs, but good rest and recuperation is better for a body fighting a virus than is running around playing with their friends.

Dogs that have this virus, or any other virus, can be contagious up to two weeks, so please make sure to keep them home even after they are feeling better. You want to make sure that your dog is fully recovered and no longer shedding the virus to share with his friends. 

This strain of dog flu, despite headlines of “deadly dog flu” is not necessarily any more dangerous than ones current or past that have gone around.  The hazard is that in some cases dogs get it worse than others and secondary infections can occur like pneumonia which can be quite serious.  The other risk is that, because this is a new strain, it is likely that your pup has not built an immunity to it. This is why it has gained news status.

How can you avoid it?  Talk to your vet about any concerns you have!  They are your best resource. Currently there is no vaccine for this strain. They are working on it but it is not here yet.  We have had no cases at Wags or in our area, but are being proactive. We talk to local vets regularly and keep informed about cases of this flu to know if it is in our area. We will post if we get any cases so you can make what decisions you want about your dog’s care. If it hits our area, it will hit all dog parks, beaches and every facility so please know that if we post there are cases, it is not just Wags & Wiggles. We are being diligent and careful with your babies’ health!