Welcome to Our Hospital
VCA Duncan Manor Animal Hospital in Allison Park, PA, is a full service companion animal hospital. It is our commitment to provide quality veterinary care throughout the life of your pet.
Our services and facilities are designed to assist in routine preventive care for young, healthy pets; early detection and treatment of disease as your pet ages; and complete medical and surgical care as necessary during his or her lifetime. We understand the special role your pet plays in your family and are dedicated to becoming your partner in your pet's health care. We treat your pet as we would our own. Our goal is to practice the highest quality medicine and surgery with compassion and with a special emphasis on client education. Our entire health care team is committed to providing personal attention to the unique concerns of each individual pet owner.
Local Medical Issues
Facts About Canine Influenza:Canine influenza or dog flu is influenza occurring in canines. Canine influenza is caused by varieties of Influenza virus A, such as equine influenza virus H3N8, which in 2004 was discovered to cause disease in dogs. Because of the lack of previous exposure to this virus, dogs have no natural immunity to this virus. Therefore, the disease is rapidly transmitted between individual dogs. Canine influenza may be endemic in some regional dog populations of the United States. It is a disease with a high morbidity but a low mortality.
Symptoms:
About 80 percent of infected dogs with H3N8 show symptoms, usually mild. Symptoms of the mild form include a cough that lasts for ten to thirty days and possibly a greenish nasal discharge. Dogs with the more severe form may have a high fever and pneumonia. Pneumonia in these dogs is not caused by the influenza virus, but by secondary bacterial infections. The fatality rate of dogs that develop pneumonia secondary to canine influenza can reach 50 percent if not given proper treatment.
Diagnosis:
The presence of an upper respiratory tract infection in a dog that has been vaccinated for the other major causes of kennel cough increases suspicion of infection with canine influenza, especially in areas where the disease has been documented. A serum sample or nasal swab from a dog suspected of having canine influenza can be submitted to a laboratory that performs PCR tests for this virus.
Vaccination:
There is a vaccination available and at VCA Duncan Manor we do offer it for dogs at risk. Dogs at risk are dogs with similar life styles as those who get the Kennel Cough vaccine such as show dogs, doggie day care, kennels, and dog parks. If you would like more information about the vaccine please call us.
