Canine Flu at PBC animal care and control

[IceyBlueSibes]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/...701dogflu.html

Palm Beach Post Staff Reports

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Dogs at the county's Animal Care and Control shelters have tested positive for the highly contagious, airborne canine influenza, prompting officials to halt dog adoptions for a week.

Dog adoptions will resume on July 10, unless new cases of the virus are found. Cat adoptions are still available.




There is no vaccine for dog flu, which infects 100 percent of the dogs that are exposed to the virus.
The virus can't be contracted by humans.
In mild cases of dog flu, dogs will show signs of mucus-producing cough, low grade fever and green nasal discharge. The cough may remain for up to 21 days and doesn't respond to antibiotics.
Some dogs may develop a more severe disease with clinical signs of pneumonia, such as a high fever and increased respiratory rate.

Because canine influenza has already been found in the greyhound racing population, Animal Care and Control officials encourage residents with dogs to use caution when taking their pets to public places.

Residents looking to get rabies shots and tags for their dogs are encouraged to get vaccinations through local veterinarians, the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League or Safe Harbor Animal Rescue.

[KennelMom]

Because canine influenza has already been found in the greyhound racing population, Animal Care and Control officials encourage residents with dogs to use caution when taking their pets to public places.

This sentence makes no sense to me whatsoever.

[IceyBlueSibes]

How so? Just curious..

If it's because of the GH population, it's because a local grey hound rescue has come down with the illness and hundreds of the dogs were being treated.

[KennelMom]

I've heard people "blame" greyhounds for the canine flu in the past and I just don't buy it. They had an outbreak in Wyoming...not exactly a mecca for greyhound racing or retirees.

In reality, the canine flu (like kennel cough) can be found whereever there are large populations of dogs...much like the human flu. Since it can be transmitted even via a human's clothing coming from an infected to an un-infected area, it's just as likely that the flu started 'in the general public' and passed on to a greyhound, where the virus can spread like wildfire in a kennel environment.

I just don't see the point of guessing or insinuating that one population of dogs "caused" something like this. At least tracks are able to quarantine at the first sign of cough or flu. They just lifted the quarantine at one track...another is letting dogs in under some circumstances, but no dogs going out.

[GSD]

I didn't read that as a blame game at all. To me it simply said, its been found in one poplulation of dogs (racing) so its probably in others, so stay away from areas with high densities of other dogs.

Personally I don't think its any more dangerous than anything else and as long as my dog is strong and healthy i have nothing to really worry about.

[IceyBlueSibes]

I can understand you being defensive about it. I have never heard anyone blaming greyhounds around here. It's just that the greyhound rescue is in the same area as the PBC Animal Care and control. There is a large number of dogs around here. I don't think they are blaming the GH rescue, just stating that another vacinity had broken out with the virus.

We took our precautions and canceled our trips to the park for a while.

Although if I didn't know any better, I'd say my guys had it already. Kelso was sick with a yellowish/green nasal discharge and it eventually spread to the others. We caught it in the beginning with anitbiotics and they healed quick. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a small case. He came from the PBC Animal Control.

[KennelMom]

Originally Posted by GSD

I didn't read that as a blame game at all. To me it simply said, its been found in one poplulation of dogs (racing) so its probably in others, so stay away from areas with high densities of other dogs.

I can see it from that point of view as well. Since racers are a fairly isolated population, it didn't make sense to me to then say "because" racers have it, you should be wary of taking your dogs to public places. Wasn't sure how one was quite relevant to the other. I was thinking...well, odds are your dog isn't going to run into an active racer at your local petsmart. LOL

Personally I don't think its any more dangerous than anything else and as long as my dog is strong and healthy i have nothing to really worry about.

I agree.