New York City dog owners are being warned about a dangerous strain of the canine flu spreading throughout the city. At least 500 dogs on the West Coast this year are said to have been affected by the H3N2 virus. Now it is making it's way to New York.
Since April there have been over 36 cases of dog flu being reported in Brooklyn, and now even more recently, some cases have been reported in Manhattan. "The disease can be fatal if not treated appropriately," Dr. Lotovsky said. "So if your dog seems lethargic, is starting to lose an appetite, and is starting to cough, definitely bring them in. The earlier you get them in, the better a chance we have to rescue your dog."
Even though humans cannot get sick from the canine flu, we can be helping to spread the virus. The virus can live on our hands and clothes for up to 24 hours. Veterinarians are warning patients that if their dog goes to groomers, kennels or on dog runs, they should come in and do a vaccine. Yes, that's right, there is a flu vaccine for dogs, but like the human strain, it is constantly mutating. Even still, you need to take care of your pup just in case he does get infected!
Some of the symptoms of the flu you can look out for are coughing, sneezing, fever, clear nasal discharge that eventually progresses to thick, yellowish-green mucus. You can also look out for rapid or difficulty breathing, loss of appetite and lethargy.