Canine influenza virus CIV type 1 (H3N8 strain)

CIV was first identified in greyhounds in 2004 and is now in 30 states. This is not a newly discovered strain.

The symptoms are:

Coughing

Nasal discharge

Fever

80% of the dogs exposed will show signs.

Clinical signs are first be seen 2-7 days after exposure. The dogs affected will be infectious for 7-10 after onset of signs and a few days before. The 20% of exposed dogs that show no symptoms are also infectious.

CIV can be fatal if pneumonia develops.

It has been fatal to up to 8% of the dogs in shelters in part due to their inability to treat the infected dogs.

The Vaccine

The vaccine was introduced in May of 2009 and has conditional (not full) approval by the USDA.

The vaccine will decrease the severity of the symptoms and decrease the shedding of the disease but will not completely prevent the disease.

The vaccine is recommended for the same dogs that kennel cough vaccine (bordetella) is recommended for. They are dogs who frequent dog parks, grooming shops and boarding kennels.

Prevention

Avoid letting your dog play with or even come in close contact with the new kid on the block especially if the dog or puppy has come from or been to a shelter for any reason. Even if this dog came from a puppy store, they could be infected the chances are much lower with a private breeder but not impossible.

It is harder to avoid newly adopted pets at the dog park, grooming shops and boarding kennels because you do not know the history of the pets that are in there that day or had been there on previous days. The virus can live in the environment after the infected dog is gone.