Lately the flu, specifically the swine variety, has been on everyone’s minds. While the H1N1 swine flu doesn’t pose much of a threat to our pets, there is a risk of contracting the H3N8 dog flu, a highly contagious respiratory illness. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it had approved the first vaccine for the canine influenza. The vaccine does not always prevent infection, but it decreases the severity and duration of the illness.

Canine influenza was first identified in 2004 when pneumonia killed a third of racing greyhounds in Florida. Today, the flu has been found in 30 states and the District of Columbia, mostly in close quarters like animal shelters and pet stores. The flu has hit Florida, New York, Philadelphia, and Colorado the hardest.

Dr. Cynda Crawford, one of the early researchers of the virus, estimates that over 10,000 dogs have been infected in the United States, a hefty number but small compared to the nation’s 70 million dogs. At one time there was a fear that the flu would kill one to ten percent of the nation’s dogs. 

Most dogs have no immunity to the dog flu, so it has the potential to spread quickly. The virus can be passed through a water bowl or person’s clothes, no direct dog-dog contact is necessary. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that dogs can transmit the virus to humans.

Symptoms, which may not show up until several days after contracting the virus, include coughing, sneezing, and nasal discharge. However, a laboratory test is the only conclusive way to know if you dog has canine influenza. Most pups make a full recovery, but if it progresses to pneumonia, it can be life-threatening. Unlike human influenza, the dog flu infections occur year round.

I try to minimize the number of vaccines that my pets receive. For instance, my crew gets blood titers instead of boosters at their annual checkup. My dogs seem to be in the moderate risk group -- I never board them, but they do have a lot of contact with other canines at obedience school and agility trials. I’m leaning towards not vaccinating since the overall risk doesn’t seem high, but I plan on consulting with my veterinarian to get his opinion before making a final decision. 

Some friends recently lost two puppies to canine distemper. During the time when first one puppy, and then the second was succumbing to the disease, they were caught up in a painful swirl of grief, loss, information-seeking, medication use, and continuous attempts to comfort the puppies, their children and each other.

Obviously, it is painful to lose a dog of any age, but there is a particular kind of unbearable heartbreak associated with the loss of a puppy.

Have you lost a dog prematurely to disease? What happened and what would you like other people to know to try to prevent it happening to them? Do you have any wise or comforting words if, despite all the best efforts, it happens anyway?

If you’re like me, there are certain websites that you don’t know how you ever lived without. One of the first that comes to mind is the popular medical diagnostic site, WebMD.

Finally, a similar resource has been created for canines. Earlier this year, DoggedHealth debuted the Diagnostic Dog as an information resource to empower pet lovers to make educated healthcare decisions for their four-legged family members. Users can click on a map of the canine body to access articles about related health problems. All content is written by a veterinarian or a dog trainer, depending on the topic. 

I’m looking forward to being able to refine searches by symptom (a WebMD feature), which DoggedHealth is in the process of developing. Diagnostic Dog certainly won’t replace my veterinarian, but it’s a great resource for increasing my knowledge before I step into the office. Of course like WebMD, Diagnostic Dog has the potential to make worried pet parents a bit paranoid, but it’s comforting to know that a wealth of information is only a few clicks away.

What are your favorite canine-related websites?

Almost before I finished typing up a blog about a disturbing report on the canine health risks posed by over-the-counter, spot-on pesticides, I saw the latest news about flea collars. Last week, the National Resource Defense Council filed a lawsuit alleging that 16 retailers and manufacturers—we’re talking the big guys here—failed to warn consumers about exposure to unsafe levels of known carcinogens and neurotoxins in violation of California anti-toxics laws.

Once again we’re being warned: “Just because it’s sold in stores doesn’t mean it’s safe.”

The NRDC’s groundbreaking Poison on Pets II study found “that high levels of pesticide residue can remain on a dog’s or cat’s fur for weeks after a flea collar is put on an animal. Residue levels produced by some flea collars are so high that they pose a risk of cancer and damage to the neurological system of children up to 1,000 times higher than the EPA’s acceptable levels.” Something tells me the fact that this study identifies the risk to two-legged children will help the cause garner broader attention.

Meanwhile, it’s flea season across the nation and guardians need better, safer options right way. At Green Paws, the NRDC offers practical advice including a video (see below) on fighting fleas the old fashioned way, a product guide, and a wallet-sized primer on chemicals and herbal options.