Mutated canine flu virus hitting many parts of the USA, said to be a strain from horse flu virus

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Main Category: Veterinary
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 22 Sep 2005 - 17:00 PDT

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A new canine flu virus, said to have mutated from a horse flu virus, is spreading across the USA and affecting many dogs in kennels, shelters, race tracks and even some pet shops. Some racing greyhounds have died.

You can read about this in more detail in the web pages of the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Scientists say infected dogs have also been found in larger numbers where many animals are housed together. How widespread the new virus is, is not clear yet.

A dog can become easily infected. Those most at risk are the ones that live with many other dogs (shelters and kennels). However, an animal can pick it up while out on a walk. Humans can pick it up from one dog and pass it on to another (the human does not get ill).

Researchers from Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine say the death rate is over 1%, it could be much higher for older dogs and puppies.

Symptoms

- Fever

- Cough (often mistaken for 'kennel cough')
Kennel cough does not usually come with a fever

- Runny nose

- Pneumonia (an uncommon complication with untreated dogs)
Antibiotics and fluid reduce the number of deaths from pneumonia

Humans need not worry about catching this flu from a dog. This is a virus that affects dogs, not humans.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor - Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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