Just like people, dogs are at risk of developing the flu. Canine
flu virus is a growing problem throughout the US because of
increased interaction between individual dogs and among shelter
dog populations. Canine flu virus spreads through airborne
particles and contaminated surfaces. Symptoms of canine flu vary
but may include fever, runny nose and cough. A percentage of
infected dogs will not exhibit any symptoms and a small
percentage of canine flu sufferers will go on to develop
pneumonia. Petfinder.com Foundation and Merck, manufacturer of
the canine flu vaccine, recently teamed up to provide free flu
vaccine to 1400 animal shelters as part of a new initiative,
Building Community Immunity. If your dog comes in frequent
contact with other dogs through dog day care, training, boarding
or other interaction, you may want to talk with your vet about
the pros and cons of canine flu vaccine. If you are adopting a
pet from your local shelter, be sure to talk with your adoption
supervisor about recent flu outbreak