Canine Influenza A H3N2 Update (Dog Flu) and Colloidal Silver

A canine influenza A H3N2 virus is responsible for an outbreak of dog flu reported in the Chicago area according to a press release issued by Cornell University, home to the New York State Animal Diagnostic Laboratory. Dog flu is a contagious respiratory disease in dogs. Two canine influenza viruses have been identified worldwide: an influenza A H3N8 virus and an influenza A H3N2 virus. No human infections with either of these canine influenza viruses have ever been reported.

Previously, canine influenza A H3N8 viruses have been identified in U.S. dog populations. However, testing at the New York State Animal Diagnostic Laboratory and the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory suggests the dog flu virus responsible for the current outbreak in dogs is an H3N2 virus similar to Asian H3N2 dog flu viruses that have been detected in dogs in parts of Asia since 2007.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, IA is sequencing two isolates from this outbreak to facilitate rapid complete characterization of the viruses. A virus isolate also is being sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for additional analysis.

Signs of dog flu infection in dogs include cough, runny nose and fever, but not all dogs will show signs of illness. The severity of illness associated with dog flu in dogs can range from no signs to severe illness resulting in pneumonia and sometimes death in dogs. Tests are available to determine if a dog has been infected. CDC recommends that people concerned about dog flu in their pets speak to their veterinarian.

Almost all dogs can be susceptible to infection with canine influenza viruses, and illness tends to spread among dogs housed in kennels and shelters. A vaccine to protect dogs against canine influenza A H3N8 has been available in the United States since 2009. It is not known yet whether the H3N8 dog flu vaccine will offer protection against the H3N2 dog flu virus.

So can colloidal silver help if the vaccine can't? Colloidal silver is known for it's antimicrobial, germicidal properties. It has been used in the treatment of animals for quite some time now.

Dairy Industry

The first study was conducted in the northwestern part of the United States. A large dairy operation (almost a 1000 head) consented to participate in this study. The livestock in the study were Holstein-Friesian cows and calves.

With milking cows, mastitis was the primary area of focus in the study. Was it possible to treat mastitis with colloidal silver by injecting it up the teat without having to pull the cow off the milking line or destroying the milk? First of all, the cow's mastitis cleared up at least as rapidly with colloidal silver as it did with antibiotics.

Second, the wait time, normally required after an antibiotic is used, was significantly reduced. Once the colloidal silver treatment was discontinued, the bacteria count quickly went back to normal. Since there was no antibiotic trace, only the bacteria count had to return to normal for the milk to be marketable, again. As a result, the cows developing mastitis were treated earlier and earlier in the condition with colloidal silver because the down time was reduced so much. Further, as expected, the mastitis problem disappeared more quickly the earlier it was treated. Thus, the net down time was significantly reduced and marketable milk production was increased when using colloidal silver to treat mastitis.

During one month of the study, in the middle of the worst part of the Winter, 6 of the colloidal silver calves died. During that same period, in the same barn, over 66% of the non-colloidal silver calves died. Remember, the non-colloidal silver calves were still being treated with standard antibiotics. The results were so striking, the dairy could hardly believe it.

Birds, Dogs, Cats and other Pets

Veterinarians have often found it hard to treat birds, dogs, cats and other pets when these pets become ill, such as with paratyphoid. This is specially true of birds, often due to the fact that many types of birds won't take the treatment through their food or water. This is also especially the case if one wants to introduce the antibiotic in the drinking water. The pet can taste the antibiotic and so won't drink the water.

Happily, a number of veterinarians and pet owners have found a simple solution. By adding colloidal silver to the pet's (bird, dog, cat, etc) drinking water, the pet will drink the water with no difficulty and the colloidal silver will knock out the paratyphoid. Typically, they will use 1 Tablespoon of colloidal silver to 1 gallon of water for maintenance. They'll double the dossage to treat illness. The birds will drink the water with colloidal silver mixed in.

To date, there is no evidence of transmission of dog flu viruses from dogs to people and there have been no reported human infections with the canine influenza viruses. Animal studies suggest that neither virus transmits well to other companion animal species with the exception of H3N2 dog flu, which has been known to infect cats. CDC considers the human health risk posed by this dog flu outbreak to be low at this time. Once available, full genetic sequencing information on this virus will further inform the human health risk assessment. CDC will continue to watch this situation closely and provide updated information as it becomes available.

Two Dog Flu Viruses

Canine influenza A (H3N8) virus is closely related to an influenza virus found in horses for more than 40 years. Experts believe this horse influenza virus changed in a way that allowed it to infect dogs, and the first dog flu infections caused by these viruses were reported in 2004, initially in greyhounds. This virus is now considered a dog-specific lineage of influenza A (H3N8) virus.

In 2007, a canine influenza A H3N2 virus was detected in dogs in South Korea. This virus seems to have been an avian influenza virus that adapted to infect dogs. This canine H3N2 virus has since been reported in China and Thailand, and reportedly can affect cats as well as dogs. It is different from human seasonal H3N2 viruses.

Take care of your pets with the best colloidal silver in the market! Click the image to buy.

Sources: CDC News, 6ABC

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