You are a responsible dog owner. You take your pooch or pooches out for regular walks, give them the right food, take them to the dog park, and even doggy day camp on days you know you’ll be out all day. And of course, your family fur-ball is up-to-date on his vaccinations.

Now, he has a cough. A bad one.

You ask, “How could this happen? My dog is vaccinated. Is it the canine flu? Is it kennel cough?” The answer might surprise you.

In February, vets at Broadway Veterinary Hospital diagnosed the valley’s first case of dog flu, confirming fears that an outbreak would occur locally sooner or later. The dog flu has spread steadily across the U.S. over the last ten years, hitting hard in states like Louisiana and Minnesota.

It's almost that time of year again when we all cozy up with our family and furry friends for another Northwest winter. The 2019-20 almanac predicts an above average snowy winter, hopefully nothing like what we had a few years ago.  Something we can always count on as the weather gets colder is that we humans, and our pets will spend more time indoors.  It also means flu season is almost here, for both you and your dog. 

We humans only deal with influenza in the cold months, but the dog flu is an issue year-round. Did you know that flu affects our canine companions and is a growing concern?  Remember when it hit the Treasure Valley in the spring of 2018? If the canine flu has been here once, it's bound to reappear again. Here's what you need to know to protect your dog from dog flu.