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Central Florida shelters, veterinarians work to quell spread of dog flu

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The Brevard County Humane Society has so far not experienced any cases of the extremely contagious dog flu virus, and workers there plan to keep it that way.

Every dog that comes into the shelter is immediately vaccinated for the disease, which has started showing up in Central Florida.

Two cases of dog flu, or the H3N2 virus, have shown up at Brevard County veterinarian offices.

Those dogs were traced back to a dog show in Perry, Georgia, where experts say at least one animal was infected.

From there, some dogs from the Georgia show went to another in Deland, where it is believed the two Brevard County dogs picked up the virus.

Two dogs were diagnosed with the dog flu at the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, which has suspended adoptions indefinitely.

It is extremely easy for one animal to pass the virus onto another, said Theresa Clifton, executive director of the Brevard County Humane Society.

“It’s airborne,” she said. “It gets on people’s clothing and then you hug another dog, and then that dog gets exposed to it, and it just spreads.”

Central Florida pet owner, Scott Scpellacy, is planning to take his 1-year-old dog, Poe, to the veterinarian to get vaccinated.

He hopes that will help keep his pet from contracting the dog flu.

“I kind of check him out every time he leaves here, to make sure he’s not showing any symptoms,” Scpellacy said. “Knock on wood, so far so good.”

The most common symptoms of dog flu are watery, or runny, eyes, a watery nose, and coughing and/or sneezing, Dr. Jeff Speicher said.

Speicher, with Loch Haven Veterinary Hospital, said not all dogs show symptoms, which concerned him, because a seemingly uninfected dog could be spreading the virus.

“A lot of the dogs don’t have any symptoms, so they’re walking around seeming perfectly healthy,” he said.

Anyone who comes across a dog infected with the virus is encouraged to take extra steps to protect their, and other people’s, pets.

“It’s important to try to change your clothing before you’re around other dogs to limit their exposure,” Speicher said. “Handwashing is as important, just like with (the) human flu, and cleaning areas with disinfectant.”

Speicher said he has only seen one case of dog flu at his office, but has been giving as many as 30 vaccines a day.

The vaccine won’t prevent the dog flu, but it will make it less severe, he said.