Pets are infected with many diseases, but the most ferocious is the canine influenza virus, so you have to be prepared to deal with this dangerous disease, especiallyً And that it can cause many disturbing symptoms, and in this context many veterinarians warn of this dreaded virus that threatens the world, as the dog influenza virus spreads in at least nine US states, among those states New York, Texas, Florida, South Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Symptoms of canine influenza
Canine influenza is known as strains, and there are two types of these strains, namely: H3N8 and H3N2, which are similar in symptoms to those of influenza that appear in humans, and their symptoms include the following:
- Cough
- Runny nose
- the appearance of fatigue;
- High temperature and fever
These viruses can be transmitted and spread easily among animals that come into close contact with contaminated objects, for example, food and water bowls, and children’s toys. Therefore, some animal shelters have decided to stop dog adoption due to the increase in the number of dogs infected with this infection.
For their part, veterinarians issued a strong warning to pet owners of the need to obtain one of the three vaccines available for dog influenza, which is one vaccine for each strain and a second vaccine that contributes to providing broader protection, and the severity of the disease can vary, but dog influenza can be fatal if left dog without treatment.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, dog influenza spreads through droplets or aerosols that contain respiratory secretions from coughing, barking and sneezing, indicating that dogs in one place and in close contact are most likely to contract the disease.
Is dog flu transmitted to humans?
It is worth noting that there is no evidence that viruses can be transmitted to and infect humans, but they can infect cats, as they sometimes catch them – despite this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasized that this rarely happens.
And according to the “Washington Post” newspaper, symptoms of the disease often appear two to five days following exposure to infection, and it is necessary to note pet owners when any symptoms appear, most notably runny nose, watery eyes, lethargy, in addition to loss of appetite, and in the case of If any of these symptoms appear, it is recommended that the dog be taken to a veterinary office or a nearby hospital for testing.
It is worth noting that H3N8 viruses originated in horses and then were transmitted to dogs, specifically greyhounds at first, for the first time in 2004, following which the other strain, H3N2, appeared and was infecting birds and it appeared for the first time in dogs in South Korea since Five years, but it spread until it reached the United States in 2015.
