Canine Influenza
Canine Influenza is a new disease caused by a flu virus in dogs, known as H3N8. It causes severe respiratory illness, comparable to but more severe than kennel cough. Statistically, between 5 and 8 percent of infected dogs die from the disease. Since it is a new disease, very few dogs have immunity, so it is highly contagious. Dogs that are most at risk are those who go to boarding and grooming facilities, come from a shelter or pet store, attend dog training sessions, enter dog events, or visit dog parks. This disease can be prevented by vaccination. Initially dogs are given 2 doses, 2-4 weeks apart followed by a yearly booster. We take this epidemic very seriously so we require all boarding dogs to be vaccinated against it. We also recommend that you consider vaccinating your dog if she/he has one of the risk factors mentioned above.
