Dangerous Dog Flu Has Reached Fairfield County

Canine influenza – aka dog flu -- has reached Fairfield County and is starting to take its toll. There have been confirmed cases in Greenwich and Stamford, and veterinarians are concerned that the highly contagious virus to continue its march across the county since August is a month when many people board their dogs.

“This is a virulent respiratory disease that is easily transmissible,” says Traci Simo of Canine Company, the Wilton-based pet services provider. “About 80 percent of exposed dogs get sick. Even dogs that previously had the flu are at risk, because there is a new strain of the virus circulating. Soit’s critical that pet parents know how to protect their dogs from exposure.”

Canine influenza spreads when an infected dog sneezes or coughs, spraying virus into the air and surroundings. Pets are most likely to be infected at places where dogs spend time in close quarters -- like boarding kennels and day care facilities.

Symptoms include high fever, coughing, loss of appetite and lethargy and can last for two to three weeks. There are no drugs to treat canine influenza; the illness must run its course. While most dogs recover, 10 to 15 percent end up with pneumonia. Puppies and older dogs are at greatest risk.

Simo encourages pet parents to take steps to protect their dogs before the flu outbreak reaches more towns:

• Avoid social situations such boarding kennels and doggy daycares. Consider in-home pet sitting or dog walking, especially if your pet is in a higher-risk group.
• Have dogs vaccinated against the virus. A trip to the vet now may prevent or -- at least reduce the severity of -- infection.

Finally, she says, if your dog shows flu symptoms, get him to the vet promptly for assessment and treatment. And, if he is diagnosed with canine flu, keep him away from other dogs for at least three weeks so he doesn’t spread the disease.