Canine Flu

Canine Influenza

Several years ago, I was terrified of the Canine Flu. I needed to take my Great Dane to a dog trainer class and I was convinced I would need to get the Canine Flu vaccine. There were none to be had.

And I know now that was a blessing in disguise.

So the next best thing was supporting the immune system. What I didn’t realize at the time was working with a kibble-based foundation was going to present a challenge of achieving true health and a strong immune system. Yes, the steps I might take would help, but as they say — you cannot out supplement a bad diet.

I got lucky. We didn’t run into the Canine Flu. Whew!

Here’s what I have learned since then:

According to Dr. Jean Dodds “Healthy dogs should be able to withstand exposure to either flu strain [H3N2 and H3N8] with a mild kennel cough-like transient condition or no symptoms at all.”

Dr. Cynda Crawford in the Veterinary Practice News says: “Because there’s no immunity to the virus, which is novel in the U.S., most dogs exposed get the virus.”

Paula VanderVoort summarizes in this way “What this means to us as pet owners is that the dog population needs to develop lifelong natural immunity to this specific pathogen. The only way to do this is to actually get exposed to it. “

A healthy body with a strong immune system will create antibodies to a pathogen when it’s exposed. This can give lifelong immunity to that pathogen. Even adapting to the variants that may show up in the future.

Feeding your dog fresh food, rich in nutrients, and keeping their gut healthy is the best medicine to fight against the things we may run into at the dog park, the dog show, the local retailer, or even your doggy day care.