Q: This flu epidemic has all of us worried. Can our dog or cat catch the flu from one of us if we are sick?
A:
Virus infections tend to be species specific; human viruses infect humans, not dogs or kitty-cats. There are a few exceptions to this rule (for example, the rabies virus is shared by humans, cats, dogs and many other mammals.) But when it comes to the current flu outbreak, dogs and cats seem to be safe from the virus.
Even so, there is some danger for pets. People with flu can develop secondary bacterial infections in their lungs or airway. Coughing spreads these bacteria, potentially infecting a dog or cat. In addition, some studies have uncovered another danger when pets are exposed to a sick member of the family. It appears that pets can actually transmit some infections from one person to another.
So what’s the bottom line here? Play it safe. Keep your pets away from anyone in the family who might have the flu.
Q:
Our vet told us about a flu virus that infects dogs. She suggested that we vaccinate our dog to protect him from any possible infection. Is this virus contagious to cats or to humans? Should I have my dog vaccinated?
A:
The canine flu virus (labeled H3N8) is different than any of the viruses that have infected humans in the past decade. Under the microscope it looks somewhat similar to the H1N1 or H3N5 viruses that can infect humans. But H3N8 hasn’t caused illness in people.
A vaccine for canine influenza was developed a few years ago and was aggressively marketed to veterinarians. Whether or not your dog needs this vaccine depends on several factors, including his risk for infection and his overall health. Different vets will give you differing opinions on this one. I haven’t recommended it for most dogs, especially those who have little chance of exposure (backyard pets, etc.).
But competition dogs that travel and have a lot of exposure to other canines might benefit from it.
Q:
Our lab, Chester, has broken a toenail at least six times in the last year. Sometimes this has been painful. Sometimes not. And each time, the nail has grown back and looks perfectly normal. This has happened to at least three of his feet. Our vet isn’t sure what causes this and tells us that he just has weak nails. Is it safe to give him Knox gelatin (like women take for stronger fingernails)? Any other suggestions?
A:
There may be more to Chester’s problem than just weak nails. Onchyodystrophy is a condition where the nails are unhealthy and fragile. It can be a congenital condition or even related to an immune problem. It’s also possible that he could have an underlying fungal infection in his nail beds. Knox gelatin has been used effectively to treat dogs with weak nails.
But before you start treating, consider a visit to a veterinary dermatologist. The specialist will evaluate, and perhaps take a sample from a nail bed. If infection or onchyodystrophy is a problem, proper treatment will help Chester look and feel a lot better.
Q:
Just wanted to pass on a little story about our dog’s last visit to the vet. Dirk had a lump on his ear, or at least so I thought. It had grown very fast and I was worried it was a tumor.
When I got to the clinic, Dirk’s vet took one look at his ear and quickly removed a big, fat tick! It wasn’t a tumor after all. (Boy, did I feel stupid and relieved, all at the same time.) We now have some monthly medication to prevent ticks and fleas from bothering him ever again. And I went home a lot less worried about my dog than I was the night before. I didn’t know ticks could get so big.
A:
Ticks can grow in size very quickly once they bite and start sucking blood. Lots of people have been fooled like you were, so don’t feel bad. Ticks can transmit some nasty diseases, so using the monthly meds to prevent tick bites is a great idea. We’re glad this visit to the vet was a happy one.
