Editorial: Keep your pet safe from dangerous flu
Got a dog? Then you have a problem.
Not the soiling-the-rug kind of problem but something much more serious - making sure you and your dog aren't carriers, or victims, of canine flu.
Five dogs are known to have died in Cook County from the virus since January. More than 1,000 cases have been identified and for dogs less than a year old or older than 7, up to 5 percent of them could be fatal.
This is serious stuff. The canine flu has attained near-epidemic status in northern Illinois, and is spreading to Wisconsin and Indiana.
The canine infectious respiratory disease is caused by a highly contagious strain called H3N8. While humans can't become victims, we can spread the disease by touching an infected dog and then touching another, without first washing our hands.
Between dogs, spreading the virus is even easier. Dogs up to 20 feet apart can infect each other. Or by the simple act of shedding.
What this means for us who love dogs, is we have to protect them. Some cities and park districts are closing dog parks temporarily until the epidemic passes. That's harsh, but we understand. Others require dogs playing at the parks to be vaccinated.
PetSmart has shut down three Chicago area PetsHotels to prevent the spread of the virus. The Anti-Cruelty Society has canceled its annual Bark in the Park fundraiser at Montrose Harbor, and is holding a virtual "walk" instead.
Area veterinarians are saying that while they don't always recommend vaccines, people with very young or older dogs should consider it. Even then, the vaccine doesn't take effect right away, so doggy social functions must be discouraged, even the casual meet-and-greet on the evening walk.
Dr. Kristin Junkas, chief of staff at Wright Animal Hospital in Des Plaines, told Daily Herald reporter Safiya Merchant that people at her clinic are advising dog owners to limit their pets' exposure.
"Those that are going to be at dog day cares, groomers, anywhere they are going to be exposed - we're trying to urge pet owners to try to limit that activity for at least the next month," she said.
Dog owners should look for flu-like symptoms in their pets - sneezing, coughing, fever, lethargy or listlessness, loss of appetite and difficulty breathing.
But Dr. Donna Alexander, administrator at the Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control warns that dogs that do not show symptoms can still be contagious.
Dogs, like their owners, are social creatures, and they love the company of other dogs. It's sad to deny them these pleasures, but it is in their best interest. And it's up to us to keep them safe.