Dog Flu Making The Rounds

Highly Contagious; Mimics Common Kennel Cough At First

(CBS)  "If they come into contact with the virus, almost all of them, 100 percent of them will develop antibodies and probably have some sort of clinical signs," says Troyer.

The only way to stop the spread of the disease is to completely clean the affected area, Turner points out, adding that's what Best Friends is doing.

"In the case of this particular kennel," Troyer says, "they did everything right. They acknowledged the disease. They researched the disease. They did everything right."

It's been a two-week process to get the facility clean.

Best Friends has 42 locations around the country, Turner says. The Chestnut Ridge location is the only one that has had an outbreak, and it plans to reopen this weekend.

Turner says that there's no epidemic nationwide but, "Because it's never shown up in dogs before, they have no immunity."

The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm asks Turner how dog owners could tell that their pet has contracted the illness.

"Kennel cough is a hacking cough and the dog usually feels fine otherwise," Turner says. "With this disease, you'll see a soft, moist cough. You're also going to see a fever in the dog, a high fever; nasal discharge; rapid, shallow breathing; loss of energy; and loss of appetite. Generally, that's when it's gone on to pneumonia. …

"You're able to support the pneumonia with antibiotics and fluids, but we don't have a cure for this. Again, there is no vaccine at this point."

Turner outlines some precautions dog owners who need to board their pets should take.

"People shouldn't panic," she says. "They should take their animals to boarding facilities and groomers. But ask important questions. Ask, 'Has there been a respiratory infection outbreak in that facility recently? Were the affected dogs tested either for kennel cough or for the canine flu? Did they disinfect, and what other measures are they taking to contain the disease when it does break out?' Be smart, but there's no need to panic."

Turner stresses that dog flu hasn't shown up in humans or cats. But, "Humans can transmit it from dog to dog by carrying it on us. It's spread just like the cold or flu. So proper hygiene is what's needed."

A final note of caution from Turner: "Make sure if your dog is sick, don't take them to a kennel. If they've had a sick dog, maybe that's not the kennel you want to go to right now."