GREENSBORO, N.C. — Right now, the dog flu is spreading across the United States. Here are the warning signs to watch out for in your pup:
"The nasal drainage. The ocular drainage. The cough is one of the biggest things that we see,” said veterinarian Dr. Jimmy Davis. “It can progress to them really feeling poorly and not doing well, and we always say, if it looks off, get them checked out. Definitely see your veterinarian and make sure they're doing ok."
Jason Smith found out after boarding his pets over Thanksgiving.
"I was very surprised that all three dogs had flu symptoms within 24 hours after getting back from the kennel,” Smith said. "The first couple of days, Monday and Tuesday, got really bad, and i got really worried that Fionna might be getting pneumonia. But she perked up the next day, and each day after that one dog has perked up after that."
Most cases of the dog flu will be mild, but vets say it can sometimes turn into pneumonia. That's why if you're planning to board your dogs over Christmas, get them a dog flu show as soon as possible. It can take several days or even a couple of weeks for the antibodies to build up and fully protect them.
The CDC says they are monitoring the dog flu. Writing on their website:
Current CDC influenza virus regulations apply only to viruses with pandemic potential in people. However, CDC is doing a number of things to be prepared in the unlikely event that canine influenza becomes a threat to humans or to animals other than canines. First, CDC continues to conduct year-round surveillance for seasonal and novel influenza A viruses and all human infections with novel influenza A viruses are fully investigated. Human infection with a novel influenza A virus of animal origin is reportable to CDC; no human infections with canine influenza viruses have been reported to date. Second, CDC and USDA APHIS VS have existing collaborative protocols to work together in the event of outbreaks of novel influenza A viruses. These same protocols would be followed in the event of an outbreak of canine influenza with suspected human infections. Third, CDC conducted a risk assessment on the pandemic potential of canine H3N2 viruses using the Influenza Risk Assessment Tool, and found it to be low risk.