LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — One dog has tested positive for canine influenza and 11 dogs are showing symptoms at The Animal Foundation.
Symptomatic dogs have been isolated. In addition to immediate testing and prompt treatment, the shelter said they are constantly monitoring the animals for any signs of the virus.
According to the shelter, this is an "unfortunate byproduct" of overcrowding in shelters.
This comes less than 24 hours after the foundation declared a critical space crisis, due to taking in nearly 1,000 animals over the past two weeks.
The foundation said the number of pets coming to them has pushed the shelter past capacity and made it a "perfect breeding ground" for diseases and that managing the diseases is more difficult.
Due to the virus, the foundation is trying to get as many dogs out of the shelter as possible to prevent the illness from spreading. You can learn more here. If you are a first-time pet foster parent, you can fill out an application here.
Shelter officials said they also want to make sure pet owners know the highly-contagious respiratory disease is circulating in our community. It spreads through respiratory droplets when dogs cough or sneeze or through contact with contaminated surfaces.
If your dog shows any of the following signs, they advise contacting your veterinarian for immediate care.
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Nasal discharge
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Occasional vomiting
