ORLANDO, Fla. — Local veterinarians are raising concerns after parts of Central Florida are reporting a sharp rise in canine influenza, also known as dog flu.
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Most of the reported cases are in Volusia County, but dog flu can spread anywhere dogs go.
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Here are 9 things to know about dog flu:
1) Dog flu is a respiratory disease in dogs, and it’s contagious.
2) There are two different dog flu viruses: one is an H3N8 virus and the other is an H3N2 virus.
3) The virus was known to exist in horses for more than 40 years and spread from horses to dogs.
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4) The first cases of dog flu in the United States were found in greyhounds in 2004.
5) Dog flu spreads through respiratory droplets produced during coughing and sneezing from infected dogs.
6) Doggie hotels, groomers, and dog parks can be hot spots for the virus.
7) Cats and other animals can also become infected with the H3N2 strain of the virus.
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8) There have been no reported dog flu infections in people and is considered a low threat, according to CDC data.
9) Veterinarian can administer a dog flu vaccine to help reduce illness length and severity.
More information about dog flu can be found here.
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