This year's flu season is particularly brutal, leaving many dog owners wondering... can my dog get the flu?
Yes. Dogs are most susceptible to canine influenza, a contagious respiratory disease that causes common 'human flu' symptoms (cough, runny nose, fever).
Yes, but it is extremely unlikely. So unlikely, in fact, that Vanderbilt University Medical Center confirmed that keeping your dog in bed when you're home sick with the flu is safe and emotionally beneficial. "The pet is a comfort, not a hazard", stated Vanderbilt's professor of Preventive Medicine, Dr. William Schaffner, to Science Daily. "You can't get a cold or the flu from your dog or cat".
Well, technically you can. A few rare strains of the flu are transferable cross-species, i.e. between humans and animals. H1N1 swine flu influenza was the most noteworthy example in recent years. After humans contracted H1N1 from pigs, the contagious strain reached domestic animals. Many dogs, cats and even ferrets fell ill or died after contracting H1N1 from their owners
Canine influenza is a contagious respiratory disease in dogs caused by one of two canine influenza viruses: H3N8 virus and H3N2 virus. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that no human cases of canine influenza have ever been reported. In other words, you cannot catch canine flu from your dog.
Just like the human flu, dog flu is spread through close contact with other dogs in highly populated areas. Dogs that frequent doggy day care, kennels or dog parks are more at risk of exposure.
According to the CDC, dog symptoms include "cough, runny nose, fever, lethargy, eye discharge, and reduced appetite." It is possible for dogs with the flu to be asymptomatic and recover on their own. Symptoms can last up to 2-3 weeks. Although very rare, it is possible for dogs to develop pneumonia and even die from the flu.
Yes. The San Francisco SPCA reported new cases of canine influenza in the bay area in early 2018.
No. Like the human flu, the large majority of dogs that catch the flu recover wonderfully within 2-3 weeks. Rest and hydration are usually the best treatments. It is very rare for dogs with the flu to catch pneumonia and even more rare for the virus to become deadly.
Take your dog to the vet as soon as he or she starts displaying signs of the flu. Although many cases are mild, your vet will check for signs of bacterial infections and/or pneumonia and prescribe medication or other treatments accordingly.
Yes, vaccines exist for both the H3N8 and H3N2 strains of canine influenza. Speak to your vet about whether these vaccines are appropriate for your pup.
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When Mike and I (Steph) brought Django home, we instantly fell in love with him. He was adventurous, playful, mischievous, and absolutely adorable. Like most dachshunds, he was also notoriously hard to housebreak. Django had a ton of accidents throughout our Brooklyn apartment up until he was 7-8 months old.
Potty training your puppy can be a daunting task if you have never done it before. That is why we sat down with Steffi Trott, the founder of SpiritDog Training in Cedar Crest, New Mexico, for potty training tips. In this DJANGO Dog Blog article, we also share some of our favorite potty training products that we used with Django and link to other current best sellers and customer favorites.
In 2019, Mike and I (Steph) came across Nom Nom fresh dog food. Now, it is a regular part of our dachshund Django's diet. It's impossible to resist feeding Django Nom Nom when he literally does a little dance every time we open a Nom Nom sleeve and pour it into his dinner bowl.
Do we only feed Django Nom Nom? Nope. We like to feed Django a variety of high quality dog foods—Nom Nom being one of them. Django's most common meal is a mix of high-quality dry dog food with nutrition-dense, freshly made dog food (aka Nom Nom).
In this DJANGO Dog Blog article, we provide an honest review and comprehensive overview of Nom Nom. We include pricing estimates for various breeds and a 50% off Nom Nom promo code for your first order. All opinions are our own and based on our own personal experience feeding our sausage dog Django.
Puppies need to be socialized between 3 and 16 weeks old. Socialization is not the same thing as exposure. Simply introducing your pup to new people, animals, objects, and places does not mean he will feel safe around them in the future.
Whether you are social distancing because of COVID-19 or prefer staying at home, you can introduce your dog to people, animals, objects, sounds, smells, and surfaces. We teamed up with Empire of the Dog's founder, Denise Harmon, to come up with more than 100 ways to socialize your puppy at home.