[Bock]

The daycare I work at is going to make the canine flu vaccination mandatory for all dogs by Thanksgiving. My boss went to a seminar were a rep from the company making the vaccination (bias, I know) spoke about concerns and issues.

Now I have a small dilemma-get the vaccination so Tysen can continue to go to daycare for a bit longer (we are moving soon) or don't get it since the vacc. doesn't even have a full license yet and it's still so new??

Input or comments??

 

[Penny & Maggie's Mom]

My gut reaction would be to hold off. I try to minimize chemicals/vax etc..... esp with something so new.

 

[MurphyTeller]

The daycare I work at is going to make the canine flu vaccination mandatory for all dogs by Thanksgiving. My boss went to a seminar were a rep from the company making the vaccination (bias, I know) spoke about concerns and issues.

Now I have a small dilemma-get the vaccination so Tysen can continue to go to daycare for a bit longer (we are moving soon) or don't get it since the vacc. doesn't even have a full license yet and it's still so new??

Input or comments??

Find a new daycare....
E

 

[Bock]

Find a new daycare....
E

Uhh...I work there and the other daycare in town is making this mandatory as well. Most of the bigger vets are also going to be recommending the vacc.

 

[missmarstar]

Personally, I would hold off on it if you can.

Just curious, what company makes the vaccine?

 

[kgiff]

I believe some of the daycares in our area created a release form for those opting out of the vaccine. I don't know about the wording or any of the details, but it might be worth suggesting?

 

[Jennifer]

Teddy has an appointment to get his flu vaccine tomorrow. The daycare he goes to doesn't require it, but we thought it might be a good idea and the vet thought so too...now I'm worried. Is it really that bad of an idea? He goes to daycare twice a week and has training on Saturdays.

 

[Bender]

I would keep him at home. Suggest the release, maybe they'll go for it (tell your boss that you've heard some clients are concerned/thinking of quitting). When I worked in long term care, the rule was if you didn't get vaccinated for the flu, then if there was an outbreak you got to stay home without pay, but it never did happen. You could suggest that if a dog doesn't get the vaccine and there is an outbreak the owner will have to keep their dog home...

Lana

 

[BeauShel]

What does your vet have to say about the vaccine? I would discuss it with him/her and ask his opinion on whether the shot is worth it and if the canine flu is in your area. Then if he/she says no to any of the question ask for him to write a letter telling them it would not be in Tysen's best interest.

 

[Bock]

What does your vet have to say about the vaccine? I would discuss it with him/her and ask his opinion on whether the shot is worth it and if the canine flu is in your area. Then if he/she says no to any of the question ask for him to write a letter telling them it would not be in Tysen's best interest.

My vet is my boss's vet as well and he is for it.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do, but I may bring up the "release" idea.

 

[Bock]

Personally, I would hold off on it if you can.

Just curious, what company makes the vaccine?

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health

 

[Heidi36oh]

I also would try to hold off, I'm not getting the shot for myself or the kids, sure won't get the shots for the dogs.

I talked to our other nurses just yesterday and everyone of them agreed it's just to new to get the shot, the regular flu kills more people then the new one. (Swine Flu)

I'm sure it's the same for dogs!

 

[Dallas Gold]

I had already decided to hold off on the vaccine. Last week my veterinarian's office, a very large one in my area of town, sent out an email telling the clientele that they were not recommending the vaccine. See the message at the end of this email. Today on TV a report, a clinic about 3 miles away is recommending the vaccine. They interviewed a CLIENT, not a VET (grrrr) and she states the flu is rampant in the area with many confirmed cases. I wish the news would be more responsible about reporting and use verifiable sources, like a veterinarian!
One thing to note: our dogs' veterinarian has a doggie day camp and boarding facility on the premises and they don't even recommend it for boarding, yet.
I am curious about the free monitoring service they are offering--hope we never need to use it.
Unfortunately my Toby is in the clinic for some other issues and I will ask his veterinarian today what the true story is about the flu being in our area.
Here is the email they sent:
Recently, local print and television media have brought attention to canine influenza (H3N8). **** would like to take this opportunity to give our stance on vaccination and testing for canine influenza.

Although the vaccine is readily available to us, because the canine flu has not yet been identified in Dallas or Tarrant County, and the vaccine is so new, we are not currently recommending vaccination for the canine flu.

However, if you feel your pet has greater risk factors, travels to areas where the risk is greater, or is often in close quarters with dogs from other areas of the country we are happy to provide the vaccine to your pet.

Additionally, at ******* we are offering free surveillance testing for dogs that are showing respiratory symptoms and for dogs not yet showing symptoms but have had a known exposure to dog flu.

Canine flu is not transmissible to humans. Symptoms include:
•Runny nasal discharge
•Sneezing
•Coughing
•Fever
If you have any questions or would like additional information, feel free to call us:

 

[Dallas Gold]

Just talked to a nurse at my clinic. No canine cases in Dallas as of yesterday that they know of so the TV report was false and misleading. The clinic director is in contact with the vaccine manufacturer daily. The manufacturer is doing the monitoring service. Despite this the doggie day care a few doors away from our clinic is making the vaccine mandatory for all dogs, as are a few other day care facilities in the area. Our clinic is not making it mandatory for their doggie day camp, as of today at least. My opinion is the private day care operators may be concerned about lawsuits and are making it mandatory to prevent outbreaks and possible litigation-just my personal opinion though.

 

[esSJay]

Does the canine version of the flu really affect that many dogs that they are making this mandatory?! I had honestly never heard of the canine flu until this thread.

I would not be vaccinating my dog against it if it's so new.

 

[Bender]

Does the canine version of the flu really affect that many dogs that they are making this mandatory?! I had honestly never heard of the canine flu until this thread.

I would not be vaccinating my dog against it if it's so new.

Same here, haven't heard of anything like that here at all...

And the boss's vet being pro the whole doggy daycare having to get the shot.... well I wonder how much money he'll bring in doing those (considering they usually charge an arm and a leg to do the injections...). Sounds like profit!

Lana

 

[LuckyPup]

I hear in KY area there were a few cases the dogs were dying from the flu. And it was getting more wide spread in that area.

They are highly recommending it to us. I declined at this time.

 

[MurphyTeller]

I hear in KY area there were a few cases the dogs were dying from the flu. And it was getting more wide spread in that area.

They are highly recommending it to us. I declined at this time.

A couple of notes on the flu:

- The flu virus has been in the wild for about 2 years. - the vaccine has been out for 6 months or less - even in clinical trials.
- The dog flu hysteria is similar to the swine flu hysteria that's out there - it gets press and suddenly people hear about this for the first time and freak out.
- I go to a lot of dog shows - some indoors, some outside. Over the course of the year both of my dogs have been exposed to the H3N8 - multiple times. It's quite possible that they have already had a mild case of the flu after those exposures. It's not unusual for them to have a wee bit of loosey stools after a weekend on the road, they may have had mild temperatures too. Lots of dogs have been exposed and have some degree of immunity already.
- The vast majority of the dog flu deaths and serious complications (like the human flu) have been in already immune compromised individuals - old dogs and very young dogs. In healthy dogs the flu symptoms are about as bad as the flu in normal healthy human populations.
- Treatment for the dog flu is basically hydration - it's easier to keep a dog hydrated than re-hydrate a dehydrated dog - the same is true for any mammal. I'm cautious about hydration year round and do regularly check my dogs' gums.
- Did you know that most vets are receiving this vaccine at little or no cost? This vaccine is not fully approved. Do you really want your dog to be used as a guinea pig? Remember some of the recent vaccines that were "approved" - remember the heartworm shot?
- I take exception to "mandatory vaccination" of anything honestly - particularly with such a new vaccine. And I wouldn't vaccinate my dog for something just because my employer said I had to. So yeah, I'd leave my dog at home - or find another gig.

Erica

 

[sammydog]

I would not be doing it either, too new...

 

[Bock]

Does the canine version of the flu really affect that many dogs that they are making this mandatory?! I had honestly never heard of the canine flu until this thread.

I would not be vaccinating my dog against it if it's so new.

According to the pharm. rep, 80% of dogs exposed to the flu virus will show symptoms, and 8% of dogs will die. I've read it's highly likely that almost every dog that is exposed will come down with it, although the degree of severity varies.