Veterinarians warn of spike in canine flu

(KRON) — Not only has respiratory disease hit humans hard this year, but the number of dogs with the flu has skyrocketed.

Outbreaks have been reported in several states, including California. Vets across the country are warning people about canine flu in hopes of keeping their four-legged friend from getting “sick like a dog.”

They say the disease is highly contagious. One dog enters the kennel with it and all dogs leave the kennel with it.

To make matters worse, dogs can spread the virus even without symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, fever, loss of energy or lack of appetite.

One veterinarian told KRON4, “20% of these dogs remain asymptomatic, and 20% of dogs can spread, and if it’s highly contagious, that’s going to cause problems.” It will cause an outbreak,” he said.

Scott Schrank, owner of Fog City Dogs in San Francisco, says he watches dog flu news closely. He says there is some good news despite the nationwide epidemic.

He told KRON4, “I don’t believe we’ve seen a large number of flu cases in or around the Gulf.”

Schrank also says that cases tend to be very localized because dogs don’t move like humans do. Dog nurseries are still doing what they can to prevent that.

“We maintain high standards of cleanliness within our building. We will be isolating those dogs in the future,” he said.

Fog City Dogs requires all dogs to be vaccinated against canine flu. However, if your dog interacts with other dogs, you should closely monitor your dog for symptoms.

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“If you have your dog in a kennel, dog park, groomed with other dogs, and after 3-5 days show signs of coughing or breathing, see your veterinarian. You would think,’ said Schrank.