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A new canine influenza vaccine has been approved by the USDA. Canine influenza first came to the attention of the veterinary community during an outbreak in racing Greyhounds in Florida in 2004. It is theorized to have originated from an influenza virus in horses. The canine influeza virus has proven to be a highly contagious virus, but thus far the spread of the disease has been contained to a handful of states. We have not confirmed any cases from the Grand Rapids area. In most dogs, the disease causes coughing, and many dogs will have a nasal discharge and mild fever. Most exposed animals recover without incident, but there is a 5-8% mortality rate associated with dogs developing clinical symptoms. Canine influenza spreads from dog-to-dog through contact and aerosolized virus particles.

The new vaccine from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health promises to reduce the severity of symptoms in infected animals. This new addition to the vaccine arsenal is welcome in areas where the disease exists, especially for dogs who live a social lifestyle, interacting with many other dogs (grooming, boarding, dog parks, etc.). At Cascade Hospital for Animals, we do not currently recommend the vaccine for any of our patients. A possible exception might be for dogs traveling to areas where the disease is known to be prevalent. Additional information on Canine Inluenza Virus is available from the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Steve McBride, DVM

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