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in turn temporarily affect sperm. 7) What about the allegation that giving the vaccination weakens the dog's immune sys- tem immediately afterwards for up to a week? MS: Not true. The purpose of vaccination is to stim- ulate the immune system. In fact just doing so can also offer slight protection against other unrelated diseases.
8) or the allegation that one study in pigs showed that giving a vaccine for one virus and then exposing the pig to another respira- tory virus made the pigs even sicker with the second? MS: This was one study, using a human strain of flu in pigs. There is no data to support such effects in dogs. In humans they use multi-valent flu vaccines that may not match exactly every year.
Flu Facts: •
Symptoms are similar to tracheobronchitis (kennel cough), however, the cough produced by the flu virus is often soft and moist. Ranging from mild to severe, H3N2 flu starts as an upper-respiratory illness depicted by a persistent cough, clear nasal discharge and low-grade fever combined with lethargy and reduced appetite. • An H3N2 infected dog is most contagious during the two- to four-day incubation period when they are shedding the virus in nasal secretions but not showing signs of illness. • Virtually all dogs exposed to the virus become infected; 80 percent of dogs develop a flu. like illness and the 20 percent that do not become sick can still spread the virus to other dogs. • Sick dogs showing signs of respiratory illness should be separated from other dogs for two weeks. • A sick dog transmits the virus to another dog through saliva, coughing and sneezing, contaminated objects such as food and water bowls, toys, collars, and leashes, and by people moving between infected and uninfected dogs. The virus can travel up to 20 feet through the air. • The virus can live on soft surfaces for up to 24 hours and hard surfaces for up to 48 hours. • Disinfectants such as Wysiwash and Oxyquat are safe around dogs and help kill virus. A sheet or cover over your crate will NOT prevent exposure to the canine flu. The virus is largely air- borne. If air can get to your dog, so can virus. If a sheet were effective, the veterinary clinic isolation wards would be fine by putting a sheet over the door or in front of the affected dogs' cage. It doesn't work that way. Several handlers whose dogs were infected had either covers over their crates or were using enclosed crates. In fact, Karan Aurelius' dogs were covered. • Flu Misconceptions • Showing your own dog's bite to the judge will NOT prevent exposure. It may help. But if judges still touch your dog's cheeks, where he licks, or his body, where he licks, the virus can still be spread by the judge's hands. • Rushing to the ring and back outside will NOT prevent exposure. It may help, as your dog is less like- ly to come nose to nose with a dog possibly shedding virus, but all it takes is inhalation of any virus at any point on his sprint and he may be infected. • Avoiding coughing dogs will NOT prevent exposure. Dogs shed the virus before exhibiting symptoms of infection themselves. • Giving your dog immune-boosting supplements and vitamins will NOT prevent illness. If this worked wouldn't we all be taking them? • Feeding your dog a healthy diet will NOT prevent infection. Most of the infected dogs were extreme- ly healthy when they were infected. Some ate top commercial diets, some were raw fed, some combined com- mercial, raw and fresh supplements. Some were kennel dogs, some were house pets, some were active in the field. • It's NOT just a "bad case of kennel cough." Yes, some cases are mild. They may have a soft cough for 10 to 30 days. But other cases are severe, with fevers of 104-106 and clinical signs of hemorrhagic pneumo- nia. About 5 to 8% of dogs die. And they can die with six hours of the first cough.
Dog Writers Association of America Hall of Fame inductee Caroline Coile, Ph.D. has written 34 books about dogs, including the top selling Barron's Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds. Caroline holds a Ph.D. in psychology/neuroscience with research interests in canine behavior, senses, genetics and neuropsychology. She has breeder-owner-handled her Baha Salukis to Best in Shows, National Specialty BOB, HITs in both agility and obedience, and Best in Fields and is a strong proponent of multi-dimensional dogs.
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