Canine flu vaccine shortage has Chicago dog owners taking precautions
CHICAGO (CBS) – A warning for dog owners - a short supply of the canine flu vaccine has some taking extra precautions.
CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot had the story about the shortage and what owners are doing to protect their pets.
"Right now, we don't have any vaccines available to give to any of our patients right now," said Dr. Sara Kessel, a veterinarian at Old Town Animal Care Center.
Kessel is talking about the bivalent canine influenza vaccine. It protects dogs against two different strains of the flu.
"It's very endemic to the Chicagoland area because of the sheer population of dogs that there is," she said. "A lot of dogs in one area, there's a lot of very social dogs in the city."
Kessel said the vaccine is important for dogs of any age and particularly for social dogs since it's transmitted nose to nose. There's been a shortage of the vaccine since late last year, cause by manufacturing supply chain issues.
Younger dogs who have never had the vaccine have no immunity.
CBS 2 met Maynard, an 8-month-old Goldendoodle. His owner is having to take extra steps because of the lack of the flu vaccine for dogs, because when they go to dog parks, he really can't let Maynard get close to other dogs.
"Ever since I was alerted to this issue, I have been keeping him away from the dog park," said Jeremy Lee, Maynard's owner.
Lee adopted Maynard when he was 4 months old.
"Trying to go to places where there are not as many dogs so that he is not in contact with as many of them as he usually is," he said.
Kessel said Chicago veterinarians often recommend the canine flu vaccine with yearly immunizations and boarding facilities usually require it.
"The series is a two-shot series, given two to four weeks apart and then you have full immunity after that and then we booster once per year," she said.
At Wiggly Field Dog Park, a sign is posted saying dogs must be fully immunized. Kessel said her practice has seen an uptick in dogs with respiratory symptoms the past couple of months.
"When we have a lot of dogs that are unvaccinated," Kessel said "The disease can spread like wildfire."
Sisters Mariah Ham and Brooke Freire are also cautious. While Brooke's 4-year-old English Cream Golden Retriever Mila isn't due for a booster until August, 3-year-old Chloe is supposed to get her booster next month.
"Hopefully we can get enough runway that by the time that immunity starts to wane, the vaccines are starting to come in," said Freire.
Coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, vomiting and diarrhea are signs your dog could have the canine flue. Veterinarians have been told the supply chain issue with vaccine should be fixed by spring.
