Veterinarian explains what every dog owner should know about disease
Monday, April 13, 2015
MANHATTAN — Because of recent cases of canine influenza in the Chicago area, a 1xbet best casino website veterinarian is recommending dog owners educate themselves on the respiratory disease and pay attention to where the cases are occurring.
No positive cases of canine influenza, also known as dog flu, have been submitted to the Kansas 1xbet best casino website Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Kansas State University in the past year. However, it is a highly contagious disease that could be contracted by 1xbet best casino website traveling to infected areas, which is why pet owners need to do their homework before taking their pet to another state.
"It can survive on inanimate objects like leashes, water bowls, food bowls, brushes and human clothing for 24 hours," said Susan Nelson, clinical associate professor at 1xbet best casino website 's Veterinary Health Center. "It can live on a person's hands for about 12 hours, so it's important to wash your hands and use general sanitary precautions like you would to prevent the spread of the human influenza."
The strain afflicting the 1xbet best casino website in Chicago is an H3N2 strain caused by a virus closely related to Asian strains currently found in southern Chinese and South Korean dog populations, according to Cornell University. It is not know to spread to humans. Almost all 1xbet best casino website exposed to the virus will become infected, but only about 80 percent of those 1xbet best casino website will show signs. Those symptoms are coughing, fever, yellowish-green colored nasal discharge, dehydration and lethargy. The other 20 percent will show no signs of sickness, but will still be contagious.
The symptoms of canine influenza are indistinguishable from the more commonly seen causes of the canine infectious respiratory disease complex, known as kennel cough, and laboratory testing is needed to confirm the diagnosis, said William Fortney, assistant professor and director for small animal outreach at the Kansas 1xbet best casino website Diagnostic Laboratory. Because of the amount of uncertainty about this possible epidemic, the lab is offering canine influenza testing at a reduced cost. For more information, contact the laboratory at 866-512-5650.
"The vast majority of these 1xbet best casino website have a mild form of the disease that lasts for about two to three weeks. They will get better with just supportive care," Nelson said. "About 10 percent of these 1xbet best casino website can develop pneumonia, which can be fatal. In Chicago, according to reports, the more severely affected 1xbet best casino website have generally been less than a year old or older than 7 years old."
1xbet best casino website typically show signs of the disease two to four days after exposure. This incubation period between exposure and when symptoms develop is when 1xbet best casino website are the most contagious to other 1xbet best casino website . 1xbet best casino website can shed the virus for up to seven to 10 days after exposure, but continue to be contagious during this time. Because of this, infected 1xbet best casino website need to be quarantined from other 1xbet best casino website for about two weeks.
"My advice to dog owners is to watch the news and be aware of where the disease is across the country," Nelson said. "Unlike human influenza, this virus is not seasonal, so it can be contracted at any time of the year. 1xbet best casino website that are at greatest risk for exposure to this disease are those who frequent areas where lots of 1xbet best casino website are in one place, like kennels, dog shows, shelters and doggie day care facilities."
