Southwest Airlines’ tagline, “You’re now free to move about the country,” may represent the reality of canine influenza risks. Catherine Ashe, DVM, shares her perspectives on diagnosing, testing, treatment, transmission and vaccine decisions. She reinforces the AVMA’s lifestyle vaccination designations.
Source: Whole Dog Journal, July 2018. Link.
Overall, while canine influenza can be serious, in most cases the symptoms are mild and self-limiting. Even in severe cases, the mortality rate is low – but some dogs do die from the illness. Vaccination is very effective and should be pursued for dogs in highly social environments.
Also see: Canine influenza, AVMA. Link. Pet owners’ guide to canine influenza.
INSIGHTS: AAHA provides a simple lifestyle assessment tool to identify vaccination recommendations based on factors that include the age and the lifestyle of a dog. Link. This link can be added to most vaccination reminders and other disease information posted on social media, websites and newsletters.