‘Dog’ Flu

Reported October

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- By now you've heard of the H1N1 virus, but what about H3N8? First identified at a greyhound racing kennel a few years ago, canine influenza is now popping up all over the United States.

Swine flu has been on the news and on everyone's mind … but the newest flu victim is man's best friend.

"Only recently did it acquire the ability to infect dogs," Cynda Crawford, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor of shelter medicine at the University of Florida in Gainesville, told Ivanhoe.

A new strain of flu spread from horses to dogs.

"Influenza is very notorious for its ability to be transmitted from one species, which is its natural host, to another species," Dr. Crawford explained.

It acts much like human flu, causing cough, runny nose and fever. About 80 percent of dogs recover in two to three weeks.

"About 20 percent get really sick, and they get full pneumonia, secondary complications, and about five to eight percent will die," Robert Hess, veterinarian at the Winter Park Veterinary Hospital in Winter Park, Fla., told Ivanhoe.

"In dogs, the ones that have developed pneumonia have actually been in the prime of their life," Dr. Crawford explained.

Concerned about the threat, veterinary medicine experts worked quickly. A vaccine for canine flu was approved in May, but don't expect it to be added to Fido's yearly exam.

"This is one of those that is a selective vaccine that we may use in certain situations," Dr. Hess explained.

"It's not meant for dogs who stay at home most often and go for walks around the block," Dr. Crawford said.

But veterinarians say it is for dogs that frequently socialize with groups of other dogs … at kennels, dog parks and shows. For the concerned owner, a conversation with your veterinarian is the best place to start.

Canine flu has now been reported in 30 states. Dr. Crawford says the virus is most concentrated in metropolitan areas including New York City, Philadelphia, greater Denver and Miami. So far no cases have spread to humans, although a few large cats have developed it. The vaccine for the virus costs $15 to $20.

The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.

Click here to Go Inside This Science or contact:

Patti Cynthia (Cynda) Crawford, DVM, PhD
Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program
Gainesville, FL 32610-0138
(352) 392-2226 ext 5731
CrawfordC@vetmed.ufl.edu

American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
Joseph Catapano
Communications Specialist
(703) 248-4772
http://www.aapspharmaceutica.com
catapanoj@aaps.org

More the 2 billion people worldwide could get it. Now, researchers are taking aim at the swine flu. We’ll show the latest research on battling this bug

From pigs … to humans … to dogs? Why some pet owners should be concerned about their dog getting the flu

32,000 troops have been wounded in the Iraq War. Now, new technology is helping medics train for the war zone right here at home

Doctors are plugging into the brain’s electrical circuits to offer relief when medications don’t work

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. In one of the largest research studies of its kind, 20,000 patients -- and their tumors -- are helping doctors personalize cancer treatment like never before

Overheating -- it causes dozens of deaths each year on the playing field. Now a simple set of shoulder pads could protect players from the heat

Frustrated by high electric bills? Relief may be blowing in the wind!

Love a garden but don’t have a green thumb? Robots are now helping man in the fields … and you in your own backyard

Technology is taking the harvest indoors! This just isn’t any greenhouse -- It’s a new way of growing that saves energy and money and keeps fresh veggies on your table longer

There’s a danger in the soil our kids play in. Chronic lead poisoning is affecting kids in epidemic proportions

We are going deeper into the sea than ever before! A new robot is showing us marine life we’ve never witnessed

20 years of research has resulted in a major find for astronomy --a star with a record number of plants. It could be the closest thing to Earth that we’ve found yet!