Canine Influenza Fact vs Fiction

It is with a heavy heart that we learned there appears to be an outbreak of canine influenza at Gulf Greyhound Park in Texas. Grey2K USA, douche bags that they are, is condemning the outbreak as cruelty brought about because the dogs are kept in kennels.

Here's some info about canine influenza -

1. Canine influenza (H3N8) is an airborne and waterborne VIRUS that is highly contagious. airborne and waterborne. It can be transmitted between sick and healthy dogs on one's clothing & shoes. So, if one stops at the pet store on the way home from work and pets a dog that has the virus, it can be transmitted to and infect your healthy dog at home. Dogs do not have to be kept in a kennel situation to contract the virus.
2. It was first seen in 2004 when it jumped species from horses to dogs as a mutated equine influenza, which had been around for 40 years. In September 2005, it had mutated enough to be classified as a canine influenza and it was recognized as a "newly emerging pathogen in the canine population". 
3. The virus has been reported & documented in 30 states and Washington D.C. and is endemic in Colorado, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania. An endemic virus is one that is maintained in a population without the need for foreign inputs. Please note, of the states in which the disease is endemic, only Florida holds greyhound racing.
4. According to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta (CDC), the number of dogs that die from this disease is very small and some dogs, while infected, have no symptoms, while others are severely infected and contract pneumonia. Although a relatively new disease in dogs and with nearly all dogs susceptible to infection, most dogs, about 80 percent, will contract a mild form of disease.
5. Dr. Cynda Crawford in a media briefing at the CDC on September 26, 2005 stated, "I want to emphasize most of all that this is not the deadly virus that certain sources have played it up to be. We have a very low mortality rate. And this is a disease that I would characterize as one of high morbidity (high infection rate) and low mortality (low death rate)." 

Later veterinary papers show a mortality rate of 1% or less and state that the cause for the disease is unknown. Epidemiologists know neither how long the disease has been in the canine population nor where it first started. Getting that information is difficult because the disease mimics kennel cough.

 



Info Sheet on Canine Influenza (H3N8)



So, while a lot of dogs will get sick, very few die and this FACT directly contradicts the drivel that Grey2K USA is spouting. Drivel which falsely and inaccurately BLAMES greyhound racing for the disease!  Also, Grey2K is spreading panic with its rumors by declaring, "canine influenza, a disease far more lethal than kennel cough...".  According to the "statistics" provided below courtesy of Grey2K, a canine influenza outbreak infected about 10,000 racing greyhounds (high morbidity or infection) and 100 greyhounds died for a death rate of  1% (low mortality).  Compare this to the death rate of these other canine viruses: parvo (30-50%), distemper (50-80%) or even rabies (100%).

Grey2K Info Sheet on Canine Influenza