Dog Flu in Colorado (Denver, Boulder: house, neighborhood, live)

[Raynel]

Hi, we travel with our dog and we were going to take family trip to Carbondale area but my dog's vet advised against it because of the dog flu that was going around. So, we may go back to Montana but the vet advised not to go through Colorado. How bad is the dog flu in Colorado?

[COcheesehead]

Keep your dog away from other dogs and you should be fine. I am not personally aware of any cases.

[Dogmama50]

I live near Vail in the Colorado mountains and while there have been a few cases in the area about a month ago, there has been nothing widely reported recently. I'm very active in the regional pet community and no one has been posting anything about the dog flu or anything contagious lately.

For information from a local vet I would call Red Hill in Carbondale: 970-704-0403 or Colorado Animal Rescue in Glenwood:
970-947-9173. They will have real time information about the local area. If you are still concerned don't let your dog drink out of community water bowls at shops or head to dog parks to play with unknown pups.

[cowboyxjon]

I live closer to Denver, but this hasn’t been a problem for us. I walk my dogs every day in my neighborhood, but I haven’t boarded them anywhere and I haven’t taken them to any dog parks. I think you would probably be fine as long as you aren’t letting your dog mingle with a ton of other dogs.

[brightdoglover]

I heard there were cases up around Telluride.

[CalWorth]

I know someone in Boulder who has 4 dogs, all were boarded at the same place, one of them got the "dog flu". It took several trips to the vet, switching antibiotics, & use of a steroid to help the dog recover, & it took over a month before the cough went away. The dogs were at the kennel for 2 days in October, so it all seems pretty random. Maybe just keep your dogs away from where other dogs congregate?

[brightdoglover]

I am keeping my dogs at home except for necessary vet visits. They are all old and vulnerable.

[TCHP]

Originally Posted by CalWorth

I know someone in Boulder who has 4 dogs, all were boarded at the same place, one of them got the "dog flu". It took several trips to the vet, switching antibiotics, & use of a steroid to help the dog recover, & it took over a month before the cough went away. The dogs were at the kennel for 2 days in October, so it all seems pretty random. Maybe just keep your dogs away from where other dogs congregate?

RE: the bolded...this is key. Simply passing though CO and occasionally taking your dogs out to do their business is not necessarily going to infect them. Even hanging out at someone's house for a time isn't a high risk. Boarding them or letting them hang out with other dogs are the highest risk factors at present. Numerous Vets have stated this for some time now.

[Raynel]

Thank you for all the replies!
Thank you Dogmama for the vet number, I did call and talked to a wonderful woman who was very nice about answering all my questions and concerns. As of that time that I called her, there were no cases there. Because my dog has been kept up to date on his vaccines and I recently had him vaccinated with the H3N8 and H3N2 vaccines, traveling to Carbondale would be low risk for him. I have kept him away from dog parks since November so no groups of dogs and communal water bowls. So, our trip is back on again! Yay!