A new strain of canine influenza is causing concern among some pet owners, but veterinarians said it shouldn’t be a cause for panic on the East Coast.
The H3N2 strain of dog flu is mostly impacting dogs in the Midwest.
However, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture put out a notice with important information about the flu for pet owners who are worried their pet could get sick.
Dr. Leyenda Harley, medical director at the Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine in Hamden, said the new strain has a lot in common with the flu people get, including coughing, sneezing, runny nose and fever.
Animals in areas heavily populated by pets, such as shelters and dog parks, would theoretically be most at risk for catching the flu.
Even though it sounds scary, they said, for right now, pet owners shouldn’t be too alarmed.
“I definitely wouldn’t be in a frenzy about it. It’s not a high mortality or fatality rate,” she said.
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In the event this strain of dog flu does come to Connecticut and your pet gets it, your pet likely will not develop life-threatening symptoms if it is otherwise healthy, veterinarians said.
“They should either be able to get rid of it on their own or get rid of it with some supportive care. But I wouldn’t be worried about a major epidemic,” Harley said.
However, if your pet does show symptoms that are similar to the flu, don’t ignore them. Take the animal to your veterinarian right away to have them checked out.
More information on canine influenza is available from the Centers for Disease Control.
