A strain of canine influenza virus has been identified in more than 1,000 dogs throughout the Midwest, including one dog in Madison.
The Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and Cornell University have identified the strain as H3N2, which has previously been seen only in Asia. Lab tests confirmed the strain was likely brought over by an infected animal.
“It’s not a mutation. This is good news because mutations are unpredictable, and we would not necessarily know what the safety implications are for humans and other animals,” said Kathy Toohey-Kurth, head of virology at WVDL, in a Friday statement.
Vaccines for H3N8, a separate strain of canine influenza, are available to protect against the virus. However, the vaccine’s effectiveness against the H3N2 strain is still unknown.
H3N2 has been reported to infect domestic cats with symptoms such as respiratory illness. At this time, no cats have tested positive for the virus in the U.S. Other symptoms the virus strain may cause include persistent cough, running nose and fever. Some infected dogs will show no symptoms.
Veterinarians from the University of Wisconsin recommend limiting direct dog-to-dog contact, washing pets with soap and water as well as washing personal clothing that has been exposed to sick dogs.
"We're advising pet owners to seek veterinary medical care, including diagnostic testing and potential treatment, for dogs and cats exhibiting clinical signs of [the virus]," said Sandra Sawchuk, a veterinarian with the UW Veterinary Care in a statement April 13.
