After a dozen dogs that came to the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine Small Animal Hospital were found to have a highly contagious dog flu, those at the college quickly let veterinarians and dogs owners statewide know about it.
UF officials, including the assistant professor who found the strain of dog flu over 12 years ago, explained crucial details about the H3N2 strain and disproved data that had been spread online and through other sources, according to a news announcement.
Veterinarian Cynda Crawford said there are 100 cases of the H3N2 dog flu and veterinarians said it has been found in dogs coming from 12 Florida counties. Crawford found the H3N8 dog flu, which was the first strain, in 2004.
The first instances that veterinarians identified were in dogs that participated in shows, which subsequently spread the virus to other states. Later cases are thought to have spread through kennels.
