Flu Medicine Works for Dogs Too

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

The drug being stockpiled by doctors and governments around the globe to prepare for a potential flu pandemic also is making its way into veterinary offices for treatment of dog flu and other illnesses.

Tamiflu, the antiviral medication manufactured by Swiss drug- maker Roche Holding AG, is marketed to lessen the impact of run-of- the-mill human influenza. It also is being touted as the only drug to help prevent or treat avian flu if it becomes a human-to-human killer and causes a worldwide pandemic.

The same drug has veterinarians buzzing about its use against the newly identified canine influenza and against more threatening diseases such as parvovirus. Vets are offering their findings on their Web sites and swapping Tamiflu anecdotes on the Veterinary Information Network, a site for animal doctors.

Although the prevalence of canine influenza is not yet known, researchers at one university found a 15 percent infection rate among 2,000 symptomatic dogs.

"There is a great deal of interest in this drug," said Cynda Crawford, a veterinarian at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida. "Vets are using it to prevent canine influenza virus infections and to treat dogs with what they think is influenza virus."

Dr. Crawford is part of a team of researchers who identified the disease, a form of influenza thought to have originated in horses. She also has launched studies to learn how dogs might benefit from Tamiflu.

Veterinary use of human drugs is not new; only a fraction of medications used by vets were developed specifically for animals.

But with human demand for Tamiflu at an all-time high, veterinary interest in the drug sparks concern among those charged with protecting public health.

"We would hope that vets would follow the ... policy for this drug because they are part of the health care system in society, and it's in their interest to make sure humans have adequate supplies of antiviral drugs," said Dr. Howard Backer, the chief of immunization at the California health department.



Source: Augusta Chronicle, The

[GSD]

I and my dog have all the antiviral drugs we need. Manufactured and produced by a well maintained immune system. so I guess somebody else can have our "doses" of Tamiflu, which by the way if not given very early in the infection, it has absolutely no influence on how "sick" you get from the flu but why should that matter when it does have an enormous profit potential, especially after they have most of America petrified of getting the flu and dying.

[shandoggy1]

My pup just had a mild form of kennel cough or flu, Robitussin DM was prescribed by my vet to treat it. It really worked to. I can't believe how many things we take our dogs can to.