Hello all,
As many of you are already aware, canine influenza has been diagnosed and confirmed in the state of Georgia in the last few weeks. These cases originated from a dog show in Perry, Georgia May 19-21, 2017. As of the end of May, over 10 confirmed cases were reported at the Athens Diagnostic Lab at the University of Georgia as well as other out of state laboratories. As a pet owner, what are your dog’s risks? Below you will find questions and answers to hopefully help ease your mind as well as allow you to prepare.
1) What strain of influenza has been diagnosed? As of the time of this writing, all confirmed cases have been determined to be H3N2
*What does that mean for you? A single influenza strain may make it easier to vaccinate against. However, as with all influenza virus, mutations and new strains can rapidly occur. This will be actively monitored, but the possibility of a new strain emerging is always possible.
2) What are the symptoms of influenza? Influenza looks a lot like other contagious respiratory conditions like kennel cough complex. Influenza dogs will often develop more intense symptoms such as severe nasal discharge, fever and general malaise. Please note that influenza can only be diagnosed through specialized testing by your veterinarian.
3) Is there treatment for influenza? Yes. Most dogs (over 95%) recover with either medication alone or supportive care (hospitalization/fluids, etc)
4) Is there a vaccine available? Yes, we currently carry the H3N2 strain vaccine. If your dog has received a flu vaccine in the last year from Dogwood, it is likely the H3N2 strain.
*What does that mean for you? While a vaccine is available, no vaccine protects 100%. As with many respiratory disease vaccines, this vaccine’s benefit is more in reducing the severity of disease rather than absolute prevention.
5) Does my dog need to be vaccinated? We (as is the AVMA) are still considering the influenza vaccine to be a “non-core” vaccine. This means that we do not routinely include this vaccine in our protocols. The decision to vaccinate for influenza is based on your dog’s lifestyle and exposure risk.
*What does this mean for you? The majority of pet dogs are at low risk for exposure to influenza. Confinement to the back yard and even walks around the neighborhood are low risk activities and are unlikely to result in an influenza exposure. However, if your dog frequents dog parks or busy boarding/grooming facilities, the influenza vaccine may be a good idea. Please note that the influenza vaccine is only protective if your dog has received 2 vaccinations three weeks apart. A single vaccine does not offer the full protection that a boostered series does.
As with the 2015 Chicago influenza outbreak, we will be keeping a close eye on the situation as it develops. As of now, we do not have an incidence map documenting the location of confirmed cases. Over the next few weeks, we can expect changes in the numbers of dogs that have fallen ill. We are receiving information on a daily basis from reference laboratories and other agencies with information to guide us through this. While we need to practice diligence, most of our clients do not need to be overly concerned nor do they need to change their daily routine. As the course of this disease progresses, our recommendations may change. For now, a close examination of your dog’s lifestyle can help guide us towards vaccine choices that can ensure your pet’s health and happiness. A helpful online resource is through the AVMA at https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/CanineInfluenza.aspx . As always, please do not hesitate to call us at Dogwood @ 770-253-3416 with any questions or concerns.