Dog flu spreads quickly in U.S.

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CHESTNUT RIDGE, N.Y. -- A new canine influenza, or dog flu, is spreading steadily through the nation's dogs, and experts say there is no vaccine available to curb the virus that has killed young and otherwise healthy animals.

"One-hundred percent of dogs will be susceptible," said Edward Dubovi, director of the animal virology lab at Cornell University. "I would expect to see this infection moving thorough groups of dogs until a large percentage gets infected and there are a lot of immune dogs."

Researchers said the virus that crossed over from horses to dogs is fooling many pet owners and veterinarians because its symptoms -- a cough, low-grade fever and a runny nose -- mimic a common, less dangerous bacterial infection known as kennel cough.

First found in greyhounds at racetracks in 11 states, the dog flu has been found in pets from New Jersey to California, but researchers do not know exactly how many dogs have died from it.

As with human influenza, dog flu is most easily contracted in gathering places such as kennels, dog shows, animal shelters, even dog runs in parks.

That has resulted in a lot of lonely dogs, as pet owners keep them home to avoid the flu.

The Best Friends Pet Resort and Salon here was forced to close its kennel for three weeks after more than 100 other dogs began showing signs of what turned out to be the new disease.

Several days after the kennel in Chestnut Ridge reopened, there were just six dogs in "doggie day care," down from the usual 17, and just 50 boarding, down from 150, said manager Kelly Kurash.

The suburban New York kennel had closed Sept. 10 after staffers realized that the illness going around was not kennel cough. Dogs were sent home or to hospitals, and one sheepdog died a few days later.

"We knew we were dealing with something more serious," said Deborah Bennetts, spokeswoman for the Best Friends chain, based in Norwalk, Conn. "It seemed to be spreading and some dogs were getting seriously ill."