The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection released an alert indicating that there has been a confirmed case of Canine Influenza (CI) in Dane County. The confirmation was made this week. Based on the behavior of this outbreak in Chicago, we can expect a significant number of dogs to become infected.
CI is spread through dog to dog contact, and will transmit readily between dogs that are at dog parks, dog day care, boarding facilities, grooming facilities, or other congregation sites (competitions and dog shows, etc.). Detailed information regarding CI is posted on our website, and also available through the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) websites.
Vaccination is recommended for dogs that are are risk due to social behavior. The vaccine can provide full protection from the disease, but not always. The vaccine is effective at reducing the duration of illness and degree of virus spread in most dogs, but it is important to note that a dog must receive 2 doses of vaccine, spaced 2 to 3 weeks apart, before protection can begin; full protection may not be achieved for 4 weeks.
Please call the Sun Prairie Pet Clinic if you have any questions about this emerging threat to our canine family members.