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New York Veterinarians Watch for Canine Flu

Juan Vazquez/WXXI News

The outbreak of canine flu which has sickened more than a thousand dogs in the Midwest has not been reported yet in New York State.

"But all it takes one dog to be sick and be transported and cause the virus someplace else," said Dr. Dean Snyder, a Hilton veterinarian and president of the New York State Veterinary Medical Society.

There is not a vaccine for the H3N2 virus seen in dogs in Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio.  The illness cannot be transmitted from dogs to humans, but Snyder says cats can contract the virus and so can ferrets. 

"The interesting thing about this virus is that it's typically infectious for only about seven or eight days. Typically, the dogs are infectious before they show signs. They usually have to have it for a few days before they start to show clinical signs."

This type of influenza has been circulating widely in southern Chinese and South Korean dog populations, but it has not been previously detected in North America.

Dogs with the flu can get a fever, cough, and respiratory symptoms. A secondary bacterial infection can result, which can be treated with antibiotics.

Snyder advises dog owners to call their veterinarian if their dog has these symptoms, especially if the animal has recently traveled to the Midwest.  He said it is not a good idea to just show up at a veterinary clinic, as the dog could infect other animals if it has contracted the virus.

Beth Adams joined WXXI as host of Morning Edition in 2012 after a more than two-decade radio career. She was the longtime host of the WHAM Morning News in Rochester. Her career also took her from radio stations in Elmira, New York, to Miami, Florida.