Canine Influenza Virus

‘Tis the season for human flu outbreaks, but what about the flu in your dog? There is no season to canine influenza so cases are reported year-round. Canine influenza has been increasingly diagnosed across the United States and should be considered for your pet based on lifestyle.

What is canine influenza virus (CIV)? 

This is a highly contagious respiratory infection, spread through respiratory secretions. There are two strains, H3N8 and H3N2. H3N8 was first reported in the U.S. during an outbreak among racing greyhounds in Florida in 2004. H3N2 was reported initially in the U.S. in Chicago in 2015.

What are the clinical signs of CIV in dogs?

  • Coughing or sneezing

  • Ocular or nasal discharge

  • Fever (>104°F)

  • Increased respiratory rate

  • Lethargy

  • Anorexia

While almost every dog exposed will develop infection, approximately 50-80% will develop clinical signs.

Who is susceptible? 

All dogs and cats exposed to infectious material are susceptible to infection. H3N2 can transmit to cats, as noted in a study done by the University of Wisconsin-Madison among Midwest shelters, but this is uncommon. Humans cannot be infected with CIV at this time.

Who is at the highest risk? 

Dogs frequenting shelters, kennels, boarding facilities, or groomers have the highest risk of infection. If they are receiving the Bordetella vaccine for kennel cough, they will likely benefit from receiving the CIV vaccine. Vaccination is not guaranteed to prevent infection but may reduce the severity of the disease. There is no canine influenza vaccine for cats at this time.

How is CIV transmitted?

CIV can be passed directly from dog to dog or dog to cat via respiratory secretions (coughing or sneezing). It can also be passed indirectly on objects or on people in close contact with an infected animal. The virus can live up to 12 hours on human hands and 24-48 hours on surfaces/clothing. Dogs are most infectious during the incubation period when clinical signs may not be showing yet. Some dogs never develop clinical signs but can still spread infection.

How does vaccination work?

The bivalent vaccine is recommended, which contains both strains of canine influenza. The initial vaccine will need to be boostered in 3 weeks, then is boostered annually thereafter as long as the pet stays up-to-date.

How is CIV treated?

This depends on how severe the infection is. Treatment can include cough medication, antibiotics, IV fluids, hospitalization, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, and more. Canine influenza does cause mortality in a small percent of infected dogs. Sick dogs should be isolated for 4 weeks after the development of clinical signs to avoid infecting other pets.

How is CIV diagnosed?

The best way to diagnose canine influenza is to perform PCR testing to look for specific viral DNA.

Online Resources -

General information: https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Reference/Pages/Canine-Influenza-Backgrounder.aspx 

Map of outbreaks (up-to-date surveillance):

https://ahdc.vet.cornell.edu/news/civchicago.cfm

CIV in cats:

https://www.uwsheltermedicine.com/news/2016/3/uw-shelter-medicine-wvdl-find-canine-influenza-transmitted-to-cats-in-midwestern-shelter

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