The bird flu, or avian influenza, is a viral disease that mostly affects birds in Europe and Asia. As the first decade of the 21st century has taught us, the bird flu can be contracted by humans and spread rapidly to other parts of the world. Unfortunately, the bird flu can also be contracted by dogs. Watch for the most common signs of a bird flu infection to determine if your four-legged pal needs to pay the veterinarian a visit.
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Runny Nose
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A runny nose is one of the easiest physical symptoms to identify. A bird flu infection will cause the nose to produce a large amount of clear mucus. The amount can vary, but it is usually enough to be seen. A runny nose will cause your dog to sneeze and sniff and snort more often than usual. A cough is also not uncommon.
Breathing Problems
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A number of breathing problems can be caused by a bird flu infection. First, the runny nose will put added stress on the dog's respiratory system due to the increased sneezing and coughing. In addition, some dogs show signs of wheezing (a high-pitch whistle-like sound when the dog inhales). This is caused by inflamed bronchial tubes and results in shortness of breath and difficulty inhaling and exhaling.
Fever
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A dog's normal temperature is 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The bird flu causes very high temperatures, upwards of 104 degrees, so a slight fever may not be anything to worry about. The best way to determine if your dog is running a temperature is by using a rectal thermometer. This will give you the most accurate reading of your dog's internal temperature.
Fast-Progressing Symptoms
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The bird flu is capable of killing dogs quickly. In fact, the bird flu has killed dogs in as short as four days. The common element seen in dogs that have died soon after contracting the disease are symptoms that quickly grow in intensity. For example, if your dog only has a mildly runny nose but then shows symptoms of a severe runny nose with coughing, sneezing and wheezing, you should immediately take the dog to the veterinarian.
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