Canine Influenza– What You Need to Know

Posted 06.22.17 by David H. Wright, DVM

As you have probably heard in the media recently, outbreaks of the dog flu (canine influenza) continue to occur across the US, in our neighboring states, and in Tennessee. We had hoped the dog flu outbreaks would be short lived but this virus is proving to have staying power and continues to grow in prevalence. Unlike the common cold that is an inconvenience, this virus is dangerous and can cause death in some cases.

Two strains of the dog flu have emerged in the US over the last several years with the first being the H3N8 strain and the latter being H3N2. Dogs that are at the most risk and should receive vaccination are those that are social and participate in dog parks, daycare, grooming, boarding, etc.

Based on these facts, we are requiring vaccination for boarding dogs and dogs that participate in Doggie Daycare with us and dogs that groom with us. We also recommending this vaccine for dogs that get groomed (here or elsewhere) or board at other facilities. The decision to vaccinate our patients was made with great thought and care and we appreciate the trust you place in us to make these decisions. It is important to us that we never make a recommendation that is unnecessary and we will always make decisions to protect your pets and our own alike. The vaccination for canine influenza is a 2 shot series (3 weeks apart) and then once a year. As with any influenza virus, we expect changes to occur so we will continue to monitor this and adjust our protocols as necessary to protect your canine companions. If you have any questions we invite you to please contact one of our doctors and we will be happy to discuss this with you.