Protect Your Dog From The Canine Flu by Shireen Igbal

The canine flu (H3N8) has recently been brought back into light due to fears of the H1N1 swine flu. Initially, it was viewed as highly lethal, but it is believed to be relatively mild for most dogs with no underlying conditions. The flu originated from horses, but has since mutated to affect dogs as well. Although it has been discovered in 30 states so far, the spread of the flu in the United States has mainly affected Florida, Colorado, and the Mid-Atlantic. However, predicting where and to what extent the flu will spread has been difficult for epidemiologists and veterinarians.

Dr. Cynda Crawford of the University of Florida initially co-characterized the influenza in 2004 after examining a mysterious illness afflicting racing greyhounds at a Florida dog track. She discovered that dogs that come into contact with infected dogs' fluid, such as through touching noses, could pass it, or dogs sharing water bowls with an infected dog could also become sick. She has estimated that fatalities from this flu will affect approximately 5 percent of the country's 70 million dogs.

Dogs that are most at risk for the illness are those that live closely together such as dogs in shelters, kennels, and dog daycares. Also, fatalities from the flu are most likely to occur in dogs that have short snub noses (e.g. pug and Pekinses). A vaccine has been released for canine influenza, but its effectiveness in preventing the illness is still unpredictable.