OT (kinda) - dog flu | Arthritis Information
Saw this in the Chicago Tribune. Why in the hell are they treating a virus with antibiotics?
By Deborah L. Shelton |Tribune reporter- 2:21 PM CDT, June 13, 2008
Canine influenza, an emerging infectious disease affecting dogs, has been confirmed for the first time in Illinois.
Antibodies for the virus, also known as "dog flu" and first identified in racing greyhounds in Florida in 2004, were detected in five blood samples taken from sick dogs treated at a North Side veterinary clinic.
Dr. Derrick Landini, a veterinarian and owner of Animal Ark Veterinary
Clinic, said his clinic recently saw a spike in the number of dogs
showing symptoms of respiratory infection, including severe coughing,
lethargy and vomiting phlegm.
At least 50 to 60 dogs have been treated at the clinic in the last
three weeks, Landini said. Suspecting canine influenza, he sent six
blood samples to the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell
University, which confirmed the presence of the antibodies in five. One
sample has yet to be returned.
In its early stages, canine flu can be mistaken for kennel cough, a
milder condition that also affects dogs confined in close quarters,
like animal shelters, grooming facilities and day-care centers for
dogs. Dog flu can progress to bacterial pneumonia, which can be fatal
to puppies, sick dogs and older dogs.
in reading more information it seems the antibiotics are used to treat the secondary bacterial infections that occur with the influenza. The article implies that the dog flu itself is "treated" with antibiotics, which is what concerns me. How many dogs are tested for viral vs. bacterial infection before indiscriminately prescribing antibiotics?
articles in newspapers often leave improtant information out
Dog flu can progress to bacterial pneumonia
Secondary Infect as buckeye said
I understand that it "can" progress, just like flu in humans "can" progress to secondary bacterial infection. That doesn't mean that every person with the flu should automatically be given antibiotics "just in case."
from my reading it is usually the symptoms of the bacterial infections that send the puppies to the vet
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