According to Weese, the outbreak likely stems from a shipment of rescue dogs from Asia.
“We’re suspicious that this group of dogs, these infections, trace back to the importation of a dog from China,” Weese said.
The outbreak follows two earlier but smaller clusters of cases in southwestern Ontario’s Windsor-Essex County, which were also linked to imported rescue dogs from Asia. Weese cautioned that dogs in the vicinity of Grimsby, Ont. may also be at risk.
Also known as dog flu, canine influenza is a highly infectious virus that, much like its human variant, causes fever, coughing, lethargy, loss of appetite and runny noses and eyes. While relatively common in Asia, the virus is extremely rare in Canada. It cannot, however, be transmitted to humans.
“I’ve never seen anything like influenza like this,” Orillia-based veterinarian Dr. Joanne Olinyk told CTV Barrie. “These dogs do get sick, they cough. It’s scary.”
And some die.
