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.
WHAT IS THE FLU: The flu is caused by the influenza virus, which targets the respiratory tract. The virus binds to the surface of cells, then releases its genetic information into the cell's nucleus to replicate itself. When the cell dies, those copies are released into the body, infecting other cells. Flu symptoms are unpleasant, but not life-threatening by themselves. However, the flu weakens the immune system, making the body vulnerable to more serious infections, such as pneumonia. Because the flu is caused by a virus -- as opposed to bacteria -- antibiotics are not an effective treatment. Both the flu and the common cold are best treated by bed rest, consuming lots of fluids, and taking over-the-counter medication to ease symptoms until the virus runs its course.
DOGS GET THE FLU: The H3N8 virus is believed to have moved from horses to dogs a few years ago. For about 80 percent of canines, it brings 2 or 3 weeks of coughs, runny noses and fevers, but for the unlucky others, it can cause pneumonia and other complications. Roughly 5 to 8 percent die from it. Researchers developed a vaccine to prevent the disease and are using it now with dogs that frequently socialize with other dogs.
HOW VACCINES WORK: There are three basic strains of the flu virus: A, B and C. A is the most common and most severe strain. The flu vaccine works by triggering the body's immune system response. The body recognizes the vaccine as a foreign invader and produces antibodies to it. However, flu strains differ from year to year, so different vaccines are needed each year. Flu vaccines are made by incubating the three strains of the virus expected to strike in a given year (they are injected into millions of chicken eggs to multiply), then extracted and packaged. It is a labor-intensive and time-consuming technique that is much the same as when it was first invented in the 18th century.
The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.
If you would like more information, please 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
