Canine Influenza Outbreak
The Canine Influenza Virus (H3N2) is responsible for the much publicized outbreak in January of 2018 in San Jose. We had our first confirmed positive case here in Burlingame on 2/9/18, followed by 10 more confirmed cases over the following month. Although the intensity of the outbreak has diminished, we anticipate Canine Influenza becoming established long-term in our community. This virus is highly contagious and many dogs on the Peninsula live very social lives (dog parks, playgroups, groomers, etc).
The symptoms are respiratory in nature and can vary from dog to dog. Some dogs (20% of those exposed) can spread the virus despite having no symptoms. The remaining 80% of exposed dogs develop a high fever, runny nose, and a cough. About 10% will suffer from life threatening pneumonia. The virus has been isolated in cats, but symptoms are much milder.
We now recommend vaccinating all dogs with the bivalent vaccine (provides protection against both H3N8 and H3N2 Canine Influenza). As long as we have an exam on file within the past year and your pet is healthy, we can administer this vaccination at a quick nurse visit. Make sure to plan on a booster vaccination 2-3 weeks after the first vaccine. If your pet has not received the vaccination, we recommend avoiding dog parks, playgroups, or other social settings (groomer, shelter, etc). High risk patients include puppies, elderly dogs, immunocompromised dogs, and greyhounds.
If your dog is showing respiratory signs, please call us for advice on whether to schedule an appointment. Many of these cases can be treated with medications at home, but some require hospitalization and specialty care. Also, please feel free to email us at caminorealpet@gmail.com with any questions you have.
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