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Dog Flu is Spreading like Wildfire in the US

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"Dog Flu is Spreading like Wildfire in the US"

24 more US states have reported cases of canine influenza.

Does your bow-wow bud have a runny nose? Does he cough a lot? If so, then he may be coming down with a case of canine influenza. While the disease itself is not lethal, it can induce certain respiratory complication in canines such as pneumonia. According to a recent report dog flu is spreading like wildfire in the US, encompassing more than 24 states.

Winter being dubbed the season of influenza, it is fairly common for vets to receive calls from concerned owners about their pets coming down with all the symptoms of influenza. Again, this is not uncommon for this time of the year, but it seems that the number of dog flu cases has increased in the last month.

Many medical specialists have declared that this whole situation has gotten out of hand. We are no longer dealing with a few isolated cases of dog influenza, but a full-blown outbreak of the disease. And it seems that the dogs coming down with the disease are infected with different strains of influenza.

Among the states affected by this disease are Montana, the cities of Seattle and Chicago. Not even Washington was spared. According to vet working in Helena, one of the dogs brought in after displaying the symptoms of canine flu was diagnosed with the H3N2 strain of the disease.

Moreover, statewide, several doggy day care centers had been temporarily closed down, due to multiple concerns regarding the method of transmission.

So, what do the specialists have to say about canine influenza? Concerning the H3N2 strain of the virus, it would seem that it rarely infects dogs. Several vets have declared that this strain of the flu is more common in cats or rats than in dogs. However, even dogs can get it if they come into close contact with an infected animal. The disease usually has an incubation period of 24 hours.

Moreover, you can unknowingly infect your dog with the flu. Vets cautioned canine owner to be very careful when approaching their dogs if they’ve been outside. The virus can even hide inside our clothes. Make sure to wash your hands with hot water and soap before petting your dog.

How do tell if your dog is coming down with canine influenza? There are a couple of signs and symptoms you should be looking for. Canine influenza usually has the following symptoms: lethargy, respiratory issues (your dog has trouble breathing), coughing, trouble eating or loss of appetite.

Dog flu is spreading like wildfire in the US, and the vets are urging all the dog owners to vaccinate their pet. The vaccine will not prevent your pet from becoming infected with the virus, but he will display milder symptoms.

Photo credits:www.pixabay.com

Ohio Health Officials Say “There’s A Significant Increase In Flu-related Hospitalization”s

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As per the recent reports revealed, flu season is on the ascent in Ohio, and the number of flu-related hospitalizations are essentially higher with 202 through 29th November compared to 89 last year.

There has been one affirmed flu-related pediatric death, an adolescent from southern Ohio. The 2014-15 influenza season began in October and likely will proceed into next spring.

Dr. Mary DiOrio, medical director of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) said, “Flu vaccine is the most secure, and best approach to battle this season’s flu virus, so I persuade all Ohioans who have not already done so to get vaccinated today, except newborns younger than 6 months old. With influenza activity rising and family and companions gathering for the occasions, now is the best time to get inoculated to ensure defend and your friends and family.”

Influenza symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and exhaustion. The CDC prescribes that everybody 6 months and more get an influenza vaccine every year. Influenza vaccination is accessible at health care providers’ offices, local health departments and retail drug stores.

Influenza season can vary yet normally commences in December, sometimes as late as January and February, and stays 6 to 8 weeks. From 15 million to 60 million Americans may be contaminated via seasonal influenza, contingent upon the seriousness of the flare-up. More than 200,000 individuals are hospitalized every year for influenza related intricacies. Around 36,000 of them die yearly.

“The best defense against the influenza virus is vaccination,” Gunn said. “Getting immunized isn’t pretty much securing yourself. It’s likewise about securing others. If you don’t get influenza, then you can’t spread this virus.”

As per the health advisory issued this week by the CDC, there are three sorts of influenza infections — A, B and C. So far this season, the H3n2 strain of sort A has been reported frequently across the nation. Past seasons prevailed by H3n2 saw higher hospitalization and death rates.

Type A is always showing signs of change and is usually the cause behind influenza pandemics. Early every year, researchers attempt to foresee which strains are prone to circulate the next influenza season, and they incorporate three or four in the vaccination.

CDC is suggesting that clinicians prescribe one of two antiviral medications as a second line of defense immediately to patients with affirmed or suspected flu who are hospitalized, have serious ailment, or may be at higher risk for influenza intricacies. These antiviral medications are oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza).

Dr. DiOrio said, “These antiviral medications can reduce the severity of the flu and prevent serious flu complications. They work best when started within two days of getting sick.”

Victom Of Flu Season? The Treatment Is Not Enough! Go For Vaccine

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Flu is set for an early and strong start in the St. Louis territory.

Across the country reports demonstrate most cases are caused by a toxic strain of the Type A influenza virus — about 50% of which are not secured well by the vaccination.

“The uplifting news is that 50% match what’s in the vaccination, and the awful news is that 50% don’t,” said Dr. Donald Kennedy, infectious disease professor at the St. Louis University.

Despite the fact that the vaccination does not exactly match a strain that is found in a large portion of cases learned at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccine can in any case give some security by diminishing the probability of serious results, for example, hospitalization and death.

As a result of a late bounce in the number of cases, regional health authorities are urging anyone age 6 months and more to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity.

“Flu is around the town,” Kennedy said. “We’ve seen a staged increase in the number of cases recognized.”

While the number of cases across the nation stays low, zone hospitals and the St. Louis County and city health divisions have reported the number of cases have tripled over the two weeks ending Nov. 30.

Dr. Dolores Gunn, director of the regional health division, said, “We have seen considerably more cases — with 50% of the cases among kids and youngsters — and this concerns us as this is a vaccine-preventable ailment.”

Flu is an infectious respiratory disease portrayed by muscle pains, headache and fever. Kids, youngsters, pregnant women and those with certain medical conditions are at higher risk of intricacies.

Influenza season can vary yet normally commences in December, sometimes as late as January and February, and stays 6 to 8 weeks. From 15 million to 60 million Americans may be contaminated via seasonal influenza, contingent upon the seriousness of the flare-up. More than 200,000 individuals are hospitalized every year for influenza related intricacies. Around 36,000 of them die yearly.

“The best defense against the influenza virus is vaccination,” Gunn said. “Getting immunized isn’t pretty much securing yourself. It’s likewise about securing others. If you don’t get influenza, then you can’t spread this virus.”

As per the health advisory issued this week by the CDC, there are three sorts of influenza infections — A, B and C. So far this season, the H3n2 strain of sort A has been reported frequently across the nation. Past seasons prevailed by H3n2 saw higher hospitalization and death rates.

Type A is always showing signs of change and is usually the cause behind influenza pandemics. Early every year, researchers attempt to foresee which strains are prone to circulate the next influenza season, and they incorporate three or four in the vaccination.

So far this year, the vaccination does not seem to be a good match.

The CDC advisory reported that 48% of the H3n2 viruses gathered this season match the strain in the vaccination, while 52% are diverse. Researchers refer to the mismatch as a drifted strain.

“The closer the vaccination is to the strain the better the defense is,” Kennedy said. “The further away it is, the less defensive it is.”

Dr. Bo Kennedy said symptoms of patients he sees in the St. Louis Children’s Hospital hold up the information that a floated strain is bringing on mayhem. He sees vomiting and diarrhea more frequently, he said. Few patients were sick regardless of having been immunized yet had low virus tallies, recommending the vaccine offered some safety.

The government bulletin also focused on the vitality of beginning antiviral medication as early as possible when a patient is hospitalized or at higher risk of complications.

While seasonal influenza resembles an alarming adversary this season, Kennedy at SLU said that the viewpoint can change as more virus samples are gathered or other types of virus start to spread.

“If the Cardinals win all the competition in the initial two weeks of the season, does that imply that they are going to win the World Series?” he said. “It’s simply too soon to know whether this will be maintained the whole influenza season.”

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