You may have already heard about the recent epidemic of canine flu in San Jose. It turns out that this strain of the virus, H3N2, has been working its way around the country since March. It is not included in the “normal” dog vaccination, so it may make sense to get your dog vaccinated.
Dogster has a good informative article about the canine flu in general, and the San Jose Mercury News just ran an article about the specifics of it in the Bay area.
So what can you do?
- If your dog is actively coughing or sneezing, your dog may have the flu.
At this point, it’s too late for the vaccine. Call your vet first to coordinate when and how to bring your dog in to be treated. The virus is highly contagious so your vet will want to minimize exposure to other dogs in his or her practice.
- If your dog is not sick, that’s great!
It’s still a good idea to call your vet and ask if it makes sense to vaccinate your dog. If you are maintaining your adult dog’s socialization skills and your dog regularly plays with other dogs (parks, daycare, boarding facility, etc.) it may be worthwhile. The Humane Society Silicon Valley in Milpitas is offering walk-in, low-cost vaccinations against the canine flu.
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