Can Dog Get H1N1 or Swine Flu?

(May 6, 2010)

While the H1N1 virus, more commonly known as swine flu, is a pandemic that has spread fear into people all over the world, it is no surprise to see a number of people start to wonder if their beloved pets can also be affected by the condition. A number of animal health experts, including the American Veterinary Association continue to assure the public that the condition cannot affect dogs because of very strong immunity, the details of the condition need to be analyzed in much greater detail in order to arrive at the correct conclusion. First and foremost, it is important to remember that there are 4 different strains of swine flu and that even very detailed research has been unable to confidently guarantee that none of these strains cause any harm to animals or more specifically- dogs. The present well known strain of influenza – the H1N1 – is constantly mutating in such a way that humans are very susceptible to the condition while also slowly maturing enough to affect animals as well. There are no specific dog flu symptoms, although most of the generic symptoms that indicate illness such as labored breathing of the animal, blue or pale gums, dizziness, an extremely bloated abdomen or even a severe inability to walk will all call for a visit to the veterinarian.

Some other underlying medical conditions that could also contribute to the development of swine flu  in dogs within the animals body or even be an indicator of the conditions presence include a poor appetite, vomiting, diarrhea and excessive salivation. However, avoid getting alarmed too fast and wait for a couple of days before you take any drastic measures as it could be nothing more that a simple medical complication at the time. The more common condition is dogs is known as canine flue, medically known as H3N8, whose symptoms include a clear fever, cough and running nose. While the flu continues to develop further, the dog will have continued difficulty in breathing, while panting will become very apparent. Good animal care and protection is essential to help your dog effectively get through the condition. In the event you notice a thick green nasal discharge, this is an indicator of the presence of a secondary bacterial infection that can usually be corrected with the help of a broad spectrum bactericidal antimicrobial. Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed test to help diagnose the presence of the condition in the animals system apart from the help of a serologic test.