Confirmed case of dog flu reported in Grants Pass, Oregon

GRANTS PASS, Ore. – A confirmed case of dog flu has been reported in Grants Pass.

The Daily Courier reports it is Oregon’s first confirmed case this winter. Dr. Randy Webster, a Grants Pass veterinarian, says it’s highly contagious, and can run through a kennel like the human flu runs through a kindergarten class.

Symptoms include lethargy, nasal discharge, fever and coughing. The worst cases can lead to pneumonia and death.

The flu likely arrived from California, which recently went from having a two confirmed cases of canine influenza to 300.

Dr. Margaret Forsberg, a veterinarian at Valley Animal Hospital, recommends that owners get their dogs vaccinated soon, since it takes a few weeks for the vaccine to take effect.