Dear Pet Owner,

You may have heard about the recent outbreak of a new type of dog flu affecting pets across the country. This highly contagious and, for some dogs, potentially serious respiratory infection is called canine influenza virus H3N2, or CIV H3N2 for short. Symptoms range from mild to severe: persistent coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge, lethargy, reduced appetite and fever.

Dogs that are frequently in contact with other dogs are at the highest risk of infection with CIV H3N2. This includes dogs that are boarded, enrolled in day care, or often visit the local dog park. If you have a puppy, elderly, or pregnant dog, or a dog that is immunocompromised, you should take extra precautions. We are currently recommending, that for the time being, our clients avoid all boarding, grooming, daycare and dog parks, unless necessary, to limit exposure risk.