What is dog influenza?
Dog influenza, also known as canine flu, is a contagious respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses that affects dogs. As your furry friend’s caretaker you might want to be more informed about the virus; treat them like humans but with hair and loyalty.
Symptoms
The dog influenza symptoms come in two flavors – frighteningly mild and upsettingly severe (because why wouldn’t they match our lives?)
Mild Symptoms:
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Fatigue
- Sneezing
- Fever
Severe Symptoms:
Should I even dare say? It includes pneumonia (lung infection), difficulty breathing, bleeding from the lungs and other organs which can result in their death (Yes! Flu can kill)
The virus hitches it’s ride through healthy saliva or mucus secretions of an infected dog via sneezing or coughing. Once it enters into another dog’s body, it spreads throughout body tissues after replicating itself within cells lining in various parts of host cell membranes.
How does one know whether their furry-companion has the flu?
If this were a human problem we would have gone to pharmacies already but unfortunately our four legged friends cannot speak for themselves so its best if we stay alert: watch out for early signs such as:(We care!)
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Irritated eyes
While some breeds are vulnerable than others due to weak immune systems eg: pugs , Bulldogs etc.Pet owners must be aware that any dog including those bred for hunting shouldn’t let their guard down as diagnosed cases showed otherwise which only makes us wonder what else has been lying around right under our noses!. Tavellers always keep protection before embarking similar applies with pets too!
Prevention; the mother of preservation. Why wait till something gets complicated then involves spending cash while it could be preventable? (Sounds too factual but we gotta say what we gotta say) Ensure you follow through with these measures:
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Vaccination: There are vaccines available to protect against canine influenza A H3N8 and H3N2 viruses which mutates similar to other flu induced infections.
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Keep your environment clean, adding extra caution when interacting with an infected dog or pets for better results.
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If your furry-friend shows any signs – take them to a veterinary doctor immediately whose service would assist in diagnosis and immediate medical attention administered if necessary.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Canine Flu is real! Be alert! Always keep pet health records up-to-date by visiting licensed veterinarians who always offer appropriate recommendations on vaccinations – this would ensure stronger immunity and stave-off preventable diseases!
But let’s not forget how amazing pets are- even when they get sick , humans will keep trying their best as they participate more actively in human life than most wild animals do!.