Near-epidemic canine flu puzzles Chicago vets

Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com – @BednarChuck

A new influenza outbreak has been reported in the Chicago area, but there’s no need for you to run out and get flu shots this time around (unless you’re a dog).

According to CBS News reports, there have been over 1,000 cases of canine infection respiratory disease reported in the Windy City over the past several weeks, and at least five dogs are already dead as the result of what experts are calling it an unprecedented outbreak of the disease.

Feeling sick as a dog

Dr. Jerry Klein, supervising veterinarian at the Chicago Veterinary Emergency Center, told CBS that his hospital handles approximately 15 cases of canine flu each day. He said that the disease was “almost an epidemic,” and called it “the worst type of outbreak [he has] ever experienced.”

Dr. Klein, who has worked at the facility for more than three decades, told the news outlet that he and his colleagues have had a few fatalities due to the spread of the disease. He explained that it can cause pneumonia, and in some cases, dogs have had to be put on oxygen and ventilation.

Jane Lohmar of Family Pet Animal Hospital echoed those sentiments, telling the Chicago Sun-Times, “I have been practicing for 20 years and I have never seen anything this bad, this contagious, this widespread.” She recommended that dog owners isolate their pets from other dogs to help prevent the spread of the disease.

Several dogs at PetSmart boarding facilities have also fallen ill, causing that firm to temporarily close three Chicago-area locations for disinfection. Local reports indicate that other pet groomers and canine care centers were also limiting their operations to limit the spread of the disease.

Dangerous to dogs, but no threat to humans

Canine influenza cannot be transmitted to humans, but is described as “extremely contagious” among canines. Symptoms include a persistent cough, runny nose, and fever, Andy Izquierdo, a PetSmart spokesman said. An annual vaccine against the disease can be obtained for about $100, while treatment can cost thousands of dollars if hospitalization is required.

The number of cases of canine influenza is not tracked on the national level, CBS News said, but since the condition was first discovered 11 years ago, outbreaks have occurred in 40 states. Back in 2011, 17 states reported infections, making it the worst year for the ailment to date – but Chicago officials warn that the ongoing outbreak could last several more weeks.

Dr. Judith Schwartz, staff veterinarian at the Humane Society of New York, told CBS News that the spread of the disease was “very, very… frightening. It’s [a] concern for me not just because of the animals I see, but we could have a dog in the waiting room saying hello to another dog, and they could be incubating – and no one would know it.”

“Our clients are getting very scared,” David Gonsky, medical director at West Loop Veterinary Care, told the Sun Times. While pet owners should exercise caution, they shouldn’t panic, he said. “There have been hundreds of these infected dogs seen at area veterinary hospitals and the number who have gotten pneumonia is small. The number who have died is very small.”

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