Dog flu epidemic hits midwest

A new strain of Canine influenza virus (CIV) has reached the United States for the first time and has reached epidemic levels in the Midwest.

Dora the Shepherd, a Chicago-area dog who died from the H3N2 strain of canine influenza (WGN TV)

Over 1,000 cases of the highly contagious CIV have been reported in Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana with six fatalities according to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

The current outbreak is being attributed to the H3N2 strain of the virus. It is believed to have come from Asia,where it was first identified in 2006.

"How it got there (to the Midwest), I can't tell you," said Dr. Amy Glaser, a senior research associate with New York state's veterinary lab at Cornell tells the Chicago Tribune. "This caught us a little by surprise, and we didn't expect to find this virus in the United States. It was discovered through a labor-intensive process that we don't normally use."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the symptoms of CIV, or dog flu include cough, runny nose, fever, loss of appetite and lethargic behavior, However, not all dogs will show signs of illness.

The disease, also designated as H3N2, can affect cats as well. No cases of H2N2 have been reported in New Jersey according to the CDC.

Veterinarians in the Midwest say one way to minimize the spread of H3N2 is to prevent dogs from having nose-to-nose contact with other dogs.

The CDC says there is no evidence the virus can be spread from dogs to humans.