Tennessee Dog Owners To Be Alert As Dog Flu Spreads In Surrounding States

Dog owners in Tennessee have to keep an eye out for dog flu symptoms as the contagious dog flu spreads it’s way in surrounding states.

Unfortunately, cases of dog flu have been confirmed in several of Tennessee’s surrounding states and according to the Tennessee News Service, this includes Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Although Tennessee currently has no dog flu cases, there is a possibility that this contagious virus could make it’s way into Tennessee.

According to Andy Cherry of Cherry Point Animal Hospital in Kingsport, there are dog flue cases from Asheville and this could spread because people frequently travel with their dogs. He was quoted saying, “Eighty percent of dogs will show symptoms after contact, and there’s a 10 percent mortality rate,. It’s kind of like in people.“

Read More About The Possibility Of Dog Flu In Tennessee Here

The symptoms of dog flue include coughing, nasal discharge, fever and lethargy. According to Cherry, pet owners should take their pets to the vet if they suspect anything or if their pet exhibits any dog flu symptoms. While Cherry recommends CIV vaccine to protect pets from dog flu, it may not be 100% effective against some complications of the virus. Cherry said, “The vaccine, in some cases, prevents certain strains, but one vaccine doesn’t protect everything.“

According to Cherry, pet owners must take simple precautions to protect their dogs from dog flu. Also, dog flu can live up to 24 hours on clothing and thus good sanitation practices are important. Finally he was quoted saying, “Don’t panic. I think most are going to be fine, even if they do contract it.“

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