There is no treatment specifically for canine influenza.

Dogs with suspected CIV infection should be isolated, and a veterinarian should be consulted to ensure that appropriate care is administered quickly.

Treatment of CIV Infection

If your dog has signs of canine influenza, keep him or her at home for the protection of other dogs, and contact your veterinarian regarding appropriate care and evaluation. If you are asked to bring your dog to the veterinarian, you may want to leave the dog in the car until you have notified the clinic of your arrival. The staff may want to keep the dog isolated and not bring him or her in through the waiting room to avoid contact with other dogs. There is no need for alarm because this is a standard precaution to protect other dogs from contracting the virus.

There is no treatment specifically for CIV infection. Therefore, prevention through effective vaccination is very important. An effective and safe vaccine for canine influenza is available through your veterinarian. Nobivac^® Canine Flu H3N8 has been shown to control the spread and minimize the impact of CIV infection.³³

For dogs that do contract canine influenza, the focus of treatment is to provide supportive care while the infection runs its course.² Dogs with mild infection may not require any intervention. Some dogs develop a more serious course and may require hospitalization for administration of intravenous fluids, supplemental feeding, and other supportive measures. Dogs that develop pneumonia will require antibiotics for secondary bacterial infection.^8,31 Consult your veterinarian and discuss any questions or concerns you have about treatment.

Be sure to get clear instructions for taking care of your dog once he or she is recovering at home. Be sure to keep the dog at home for several weeks until he or she has made a full recovery, and try to avoid exposing other dogs.³¹