My Pet World: Worries over dog flu continue
Chicago is the Windy City, the City of Big Shoulders, the Second City, and now, apparently the dog flu city. The canine influenza virus, or dog flu, settled into the Chicago metropolitan area just over a month ago. Since dogs do travel, however, it's no surprise that the virus has popped up elsewhere. Chicago, however, remains the only hot spot.
According to Dr. Donna Alexander, Cook County Administrator for the Department of Animal and Rabies Control, over 2,000 dogs have become sick, and at least six have succumbed to the dog flu. She calls what's still occurring in the area an epidemic.
I've received many dog flu questions (at dogflu@stevedale.tv). Alexander and others kindly agreed to answer some of your queries:
Q: How did the dog flu get to America? It seems we need much tighter restrictions on dogs entering America, even if it is for adoption. And frankly, don't we have enough dogs here to adopt? -- C.J., San Diego, CA
A: Currently, dogs are required to have a veterinary certificate of "good health" and proof of a rabies vaccination to enter the U.S. Indeed, that good health certificate is vague. In reality, veterinarians in some countries may have different standards than those in America.
Many argue that we should set the bar higher for dogs entering the U.S. Others suggest we should even quarantine such dogs for a set number of days or weeks. The problem is, there's currently no space or funding for quarantining dogs (or cats).
I suspect the reason you ask this question is because the flu strain now hitting the Chicago area is from South Korea and China, and has never been seen before in the U.S. The assumption is that a dog rescued from that region arrived carrying the flu bug. However, it's possible that a U.S. military dog brought the virus in, or even a person, since the virus can live on shoes or a pant leg for a day, or potentially even longer.
Personally, while I understand your point about saving dogs that are already here, I believe that a life saved is a life saved.
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Q: Can dogs get the flu from others dogs' urine? -- C.H., Chicago, IL
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