Update on Michigan Canine Influenza outbreak

(Chelsea Update would like to thank Lane Animal Hospital for the information in this story.)

Confirmed Canine Influenza Cases – Updated 8/13/2018*

**There have now been 111 confirmed cases.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recently reported the total number of Michigan cases of Canine Influenza has rosin to 111 confirmed cases, which include two in Washtenaw County and nine in Livingston County.

To try and prevent further spread of this serious respiratory disease, Lane Animal Hospital will again require all dogs coming in for boarding, grooming and elective surgeries to be vaccinated against both strains of canine influenza (H3N2 and H2N8).

This vaccination is given in a series of two injections, spaced 3-4 weeks apart. There are only two vaccinations that protect pets from both strains; these two vaccinations are manufactured by Zoetis Animal Health and Merck Animal Health.

If your pet is scheduled to come in for boarding, grooming or elective surgery, we will require that the pet has had at least his first vaccination prior to the scheduled visit.

Since dogs are contagious prior to showing any symptoms of this virus, we will be unable to accept any pets for boarding or grooming without having the first vaccination given in advance of the visit.

The deadline to receive the first vaccination in this series prior to a boarding, grooming or elective surgical visit will be Sept. 4rd, and beginning on Sept. 18, the animal hospital will require all canine patients be fully boostered with two vaccines prior to coming in for any boarding, grooming or elective surgical visit.

Similar to the Leptospirosis and Lyme vaccines, the initial vaccinations for Canine Influenza are given in a series of two injections, spaced 3-4 weeks apart. After the first series however, the vaccine is only given as a single annual booster.

While this may seem like an extreme approach to take, the canine influenza virus is extremely contagious and can make your pet very ill.

Severe cases of canine influenza can cause high fever, pneumonia, and even result in death. Most dogs take between two and three weeks to recover fully.

The team at Lane Animal Hospital wants to do everything we can to ensure that our patients remain healthy while under our care. While we take extreme precautions to ensure that our boarding and grooming facilities are thoroughly sanitized between patients, viral infections can spread easily from one pet to the next.

While the animal hospital is requiring this vaccination for all boarding, grooming and elective surgical patients, we are also recommending it for all canines in the area.

If you would like to schedule an appointment to get your pet started on the canine influenza vaccination series, please contact the office at 734-475-8696.