Respiratory Illnesses on the Rise in Dogs

On the national Steve Dale’s Pet World radio show there’s some bad news – an increasing amount of dog respiratory illnesses, leading with canine influenza (dog flu).  Dr. Natalie Marks explains how easily transmission to dog flu can occur if the pup is not vaccinated. It can so easily happen even if a dog barks at another dog and both dogs are close enough to one another.

Lots of dogs appearing healthy may still shed the virus, either these are lucky dogs who don’t get symptomatic at all but because but because they are not vaccinated they remain infectious or dogs who are in their incubation period and for now feel great but in 24 to 48 or so that will likely change. Meanwhile, those dogs can spread the virus, not only walking on a street but in boarding facilities. And unless all the dogs are vaccinated at a boarding facility, the virus spreads fast.

Dr. Marks reveals a myth regarding what is commonly referred to as kennel cough. And she explains that while protection for kennel cough is necessary, equally as necessary is pairing up for protection to also protect against dog flu. She also explains what canine infectious respiratory disease complex is.

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