Dear Clients of Dogwood Pet Hospital,

Influenza H1N1 has been confirmed in a Portland ferret and in an Iowa cat. It is not known if dogs can get this strain, but we still recommend caution with flu-like symptoms in dogs. If you or any family member has flu symptoms: minimize contact with your pets, keep everything clean, and wash your hands frequently (soap and/or hand sanitizer). Likewise if your pet has any respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, discharge from nose or eyes. If you note any of these, we recommend an exam, as they can be signs of many illnesses.

Dogs are known to be susceptible to the H3N8 strain of influenza, which is not known to be transmitted to people or to other pets. There are still no recent cases in Oregon, but the shelters are testing select dogs to verify this. For more information, visit http://oregonvma.org/news/h1n1. There is a vaccine, but we are not currently recommending it, as it does not prevent your dog from getting H3N8 or from transmitting it to other dogs, and we have no confirmed cases in the area. We will let you know if this changes.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, we would like to personally thank all veterans and active military for your service to our country, to protect our freedom, and keep us all safe.  As a veteran himself (US Army Veterinary Corps), Dr. Hawkins provided FREE EXAMINATIONS to pets belonging to veterans and active-duty military personnel on November 11th.

Close upon us is Thanksgiving – just a reminder for you that we will be closed Thanksgiving day, then open that Friday and Saturday.

Do you have pet insurance for your pets? Let us know! If you leave us a signed claim form for your file, we can fax it in for you. Ask us if you have insurance-related questions or visit our pet insurance page.

Sincerely,

Your Dogwood Family