Canine Influenza – Fall 2016
Canine Influenza – Fall 2016
We at Fondren 5 Star Pet Resort take the trust you put in us as care givers for your family pets very seriously. We are committed to the well-being of all our pets and providing a safe and loving environment for all our pet guests. Because of this commitment, we’re sharing news about canine influenza in our state and our country; what puts dogs at risk and what can be done to protect them.
A New Strain
Have you heard about a new strain of canine influenza (CIV) that has been reported in some parts of the country? This new strain is referred to by veterinarians as H3N2. The original strain that first appeared in 2005 and made headlines several years ago is called H3N8. The new H3N2 strain has different origins and appears more communicable than H3N8. With both strains, dogs can spread the virus before signs of illness appear. In the last years there have been a number of reports of ill dogs in Texas (in Austin, Round Rock and Pflugerville).
Dogs that have CIV display a cough and other signs of respiratory illness. While some dogs (such as elder dogs) can become very sick, most dogs will recover easily after seeing their veterinarian for treatment. Fondren 5 Star Pet Resort prides itself on all its cleaning protocols and the sanitary condition of its buildings and grounds. However, despite all of our care, canine influenza is still a risk for all dogs who visit our facility because of its highly contagious nature.
Vaccination Is Your Dog’s Best Protection
The vaccination for H3N8 strain has been available for a number of years, but the vaccination for H3N2 was just recently released. It’s important to understand that these vaccinations do not currently provide cross-protection, which means your dog would need both vaccinations to be protected against both strains of CIV. Plus, just like the human flu vaccine, getting a CIV vaccination does not guarantee that your dog will not become infected…but it does reduce the probability and severity of symptoms.
Fondren 5 Star Pet Resort has already been requiring inoculation for the H3N8 strain of canine influenza for all dogs who come to our facility. After months of discussions with local veterinarians and attending conferences about CIV and researching the effect of CIV thoroughly, Fondren 5 Star Pet Resort, along with other Houston area pet resorts, will require as of November 1st, 2016, dogs to have both the H3N8 and the H3N2 vaccinations. The initial vaccination requires one dose of each vaccine, given 2 to 4 weeks apart with annual boosters for each influenza strain.
Please contact us to discuss any questions you might have and to set up your next reservation.