Dog Flu Halts Adoptions at Anti Cruetly

Dog adoptions have come to a halt at The Anti-Cruelty Society due to another outbreak of canine influenza. Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) or dog flu strain (H2N2) first appeared in the Chicago area in the spring of 2015, somehow arriving from southeast Asia. Since then, it has been considered an endemic disease in the area, and has once again forced The Anti-Cruelty Society to close for dog adoptions for the next three to four weeks, potentially even longer than that. The Society remains open for cat adoptions (Cats can get this strain of dog flu, but that is very rare and exposure to dogs is required).

CIV is a contagious respiratory disease in dogs and does not affect people. Signs of this illness are actually similar to flu in people, such as a  honking cough, runny nose, lethargy and fever. This is a relatively new cause of disease in dogs so nearly all dogs are susceptible to infection. And THAT is one reason why vaccination is SO important.

Chicago Animal Care & Control also has dog flu issues. In the long run – even the short run – vaccination will be the only way to protect the community at large. But also you want to protect your dog(s). For people with more than one dog, if one dog gets the flu, you can be assured others in the home will.

The flu takes days, weeks really, to run it’s course. Treatment is expensive. Your gift can help Anti Cruelty through this.