A veterinarian in Sherwood, Oregon, has issued a public advisory about sickly dogs who were recently rescued from China and imported to the United States. Dr. Emilio DeBess, with Crossroads Veterinary Hospital, notified the public that Golden Bond Rescue of Oregon transported eight Golden Retrievers from China via Taipei, Taiwan to Seattle, WA, and one of the dogs fell ill during a night’s stay in Tacoma, Washington.
According to Dr. DeBass, the dog exhibited respiratory disease and malaise – a local veterinary center examined the dog and testing revealed that it was positive for bordatella and mycoplasma. A day later, five of the eight dogs traveled to Portland, Oregon and they were seen at an area veterinary hospital.
Some of the dogs showed signs of respiratory disease – four of the five dogs were examined again at various veterinary hospitals and three of them were tested for canine influenza virus (CIV). Of the three tested, two had positive CIV results. One sample was confirmed positive for H3N2 and the other sample was confirmed as CIV and parainfluenza and mycoplasma
The doctor advises who is at risk:
At-risk dogs include but are not limited to those that visit dog parks, dog daycare, dog shows, grooming, boarding, travel (car, air, etc.), and rescue animals. Dogs with pre-existing heart disease or lung disease, senior dogs, and brachycephalic breeds are also at significant risk.
And recommends:
These at-risk dogs should be vaccinated with an initial 2-dose series of a bivalent vaccine, with 2-4 weeks apart. Full effectiveness does not occur until 7-10 days after the second immunization in the initial series. My recommendation is 14 days as this is based on our vaccines, but you are correct that a good proportion of dogs develop an adaptive immune response 7-10 days after the 2nd vaccine. Boosters should be given annually. In cases where dogs have not received their boosters within 18 months of their last influenza vaccine, the initial 2-dose series should be repeated.
CIV vaccines may not prevent infection but have been shown to significantly decrease the severity and degree of infection, illness, and viral shedding.
Continue reading: Tiny pup stuffed into bag and abandoned on street
Follow the National Animal News Facebook page for petitions, news and updates!
There is no us. There is no them. We are one. Choose your favorite style and color here.
Your purchase helps support the continuation of our site. Find your favorite shirt with a message at this link to our store!
Fight animal abuse! Donate Now
I prefer dogs to people #dontjudge
Pick your favorite color and style at this link!
Your purchase helps support the continuation of our site. More styles and messages at our store. Please click here to find them all!
Fostering saves lives – buy a shirt that sends a message and helps support the continuation of our website. Styles and colors can be found here.
Regardless–we MUST keep rescuing dogs from China!