The article below is from Chicago Tribune
'Dog flu' confirmed in animals treated at North Side veterinary clinic
Cases are first known in Illinois
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.
The disease, which usually is not fatal and can be treated with antibiotics, has been reported in multiple states.
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.
'Dog flu' confirmed in animals treated at North Side veterinary clinic -- chicagotribune.com