Veterinarians are urging dog owners to be on the lookout for symptoms of canine influenza. Two dogs in North Carolina have died from the virus and it's suspected of sickening several others.
State agriculture officials believe the deaths are linked to recent dog shows in Florida and Georgia. They say they're monitoring the issue closely. The dogs were from the Raleigh area and North Carolina's coast.
Outbreaks of canine flu have been reported in other states including South Carolina, Missouri and Kentucky. The virus is highly contagious and spreads quickly.
Alexa Gonzalez is with Park Veterinary Hospital and Urgent Care in Durham and a member the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association NCVMA. She urges people to keep an eye on their pets and have their veterinarian's number handy.
“People shouldn't panic," she says. "But If you see your dog coughing and the cough persists for a day and then you start to see nasal discharge it's definitely time to give a call, especially if they're lethargic,” Gonzalez says.
Other symptoms can include fever and loss of appetite.
Gonzalez adds most dogs recover from the virus, but older and younger canines are more at risk of severe illness. She recommends getting your pet vaccinated to keep it safe, especially if it goes to a day care, boarding facility or dog park.
As for impacting human health, there's little concern right now. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, there's no evidence of transmission of the virus from dogs to people.
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