Dog flu
Did you know that like humans, dogs can also get affected by the flu? The dog flu, or canine influenza, is a highly contagious viral infection, which differs from the human influenza virus and is supposed to be not contagious to people.
The dog flu can last for several weeks, and the severity of the flu infection varies from dog to dog. The common symptoms are cough, high fever, sneezing, runny nose and lethargy.
Your dog can get infected by canine influenza virus from other sick dogs, so your furry friend is most likely to pick it up at pet stores, dog parks, groomers etc. What is more the virus can be also transferred to your dog when you had contact with any potentially sick dogs before playing with your own one.
To protect your dog, take further steps:
- Vaccinate your dog against the canine influenza virus – this is the best way to prevent the dog flu. Ask your vet about the vaccination.
- Avoid sick dogs. If you meet any dog that can be potentially sick, do not let your dog to interact with them as the virus is highly contagious.
- Disinfect the environment to minimize the risk of getting infected
- Do not use commonly shared water bowl, because they provide a great environment for viruses to spread from dog to dog
If you suspect that your dog got infected by the canine influenza virus, get it to your veterinarian as soon as possible. However, make your vet know that it may be the flu, so that your dog can be immediately examined, and does not infect any other pet in the vet clinic while waiting in the common room. Your veterinarian will set for your dog an appropriate treatment plan and give you some recommendations for daily care.
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