Dog flu in Florida

The newer flu vaccine for dogs protects both H3N8 and H3N2 strains. The current outbreak in FL is the H3N2 strain. I'd recommend vaccinating your dog (making sure the one used has the H3N2 component) and avoiding places where there are lots of dogs, pet stores, dog parks, dog shows, etc.

Most dogs recover from the illness within a few weeks, but about 20 percent develop pneumonia, which can be serious and require veterinary care, according to the University of Florida. If you think your dog has dog flu, call your veterinarian to discuss whether your dog needs to have a diagnostic test for the virus.

Doug, DVM