More canine influenza cases are being reported as the latest bout spreads across the country. But, isn’t this a simple canine cold? Here in Wyoming, many cases of the H3N8 strain have been reported, so it’s quite important to vaccinate your pet for this right away. According to dogflu.com:
This highly contagious disease began as an isolated episode of respiratory disease in one state and has now become a nationwide health concern for all dogs.
Considerations For Your Pet
- Dogs have no natural immunity to Dog Flu because it is a newer virus.
- This virus is easily spread by mobile dogs, like rescue dogs or ones that travel and move with their owners. This is how Dog Flu has spread from state to state.
- Many dogs are boarded, go to daycare, or visit grooming facilities where close contact to other dogs puts them at high risk.
Your pet’s health is important and preventive care is necessary. We recommend wellness exams, keeping your pets on a vaccination schedule, and working with us on all facets of wellness care. It’s no secret that preventive care is much better than treating illness and disease.
We want your pet to have a long, healthy life. For that to be possible, it’s important to take their health seriously and work closely with our staff. This is essential for all stages of your pet’s life, from their early years through the golden senior years. Just know, the Animal Medical Center of Wyoming team will be there every step of the way.
Writing it off as kennel cough? Think again.
While both diseases are known for an impressive cough, canine influenza is often more severe. If your dog is infected with canine influenza, you may notice the following signs:
- Intense cough
- Eye discharge
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Nasal discharge
- Reduced appetite
If you have a dog that is exhibiting symptoms, be sure to call us immediately – this is highly contagious. Similar to the human flu virus in schools, the dog flu can spread through closely housed dogs like wildfire. It can be spread in three ways—air transmission, direct contact, or fomite transmission. A cough or sneeze can shoot germs 20 feet through the air and infect a wide radius. Direct contact occurs when an infected dog touches a healthy dog, either through grooming, licking, or nuzzling. Indirect contact, or fomite transmission, is caused by contact with contaminated objects, such as bowls, bedding, leashes, or toys. People can also carry virus particles on their clothing and infect other dogs.
Dogs afflicted with kennel cough are usually still active and have a normal appetite, unless they’ve been infected with a nasty bacterial or viral strain. Dogs suffering from a severe canine influenza virus may develop a high fever and pneumonia.
If you suspect an issue, please call us immediately. When things go wrong after hours, it’s good to know where to go. Animal Medical Center of Wyoming is here when you and your pet need us most. When accidents happen, please call us immediately at 307-682-1507.
Our hospital is well equipped to handle even the most urgent medical, diagnostic, or surgical care needs. Our caring and compassionate staff is trained for urgent situations and our state-of-the-art clinic gives us the tools we need to diagnose and treat your pet quickly when every second matters.
Critical care services are available any time while the clinic is open. We also have a doctor on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to handle any emergency situations that may occur outside of our normal office hours.
