Many people don’t realize that dog can get the flu virus,
just like humans. Canine influenza is extremely contagious, especially if your
dog attends doggy day care or visits dog parks.
According to veterinarian, Cynda Crawford, dogs spread the
flu to each other in the same way that children in kindergarten do. If your dog
is in contact with other dogs, you might want to consider vaccinating him
against the flu.
The dog flu virus was identified in 2004 when a research
team found that it originated from horses. The majority of dogs have a natural
immunity to canine influenza but they are still at risk of contracting the
virus.
If you travel with your dog, getting a flu shot can help
protect him from infected dogs.
Symptoms are very similar to the flu symptom
that people experience.
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- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Fever
- Cough
- Pneumonia, resulting in death for some dogs
Ask your veterinarian if your dog should get the flu
vaccine. The shot minimizes the symptoms of the flu and is available for dogs
6-weeks old and over. The flu vaccine is given with two injections, up to one
month apart.
Consult your vet about the canine influenza vaccine to
protect your dog from symptoms.
Resources:
Dog Fancy: A Flu Shot for Fido?, May 2012
Photo By Sonia Sevilla (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
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