Canine influenza vaccine: is it needed in Canada?

What is canine influenza?

Canine influenza is a contagious respiratory infection in dogs. The Merck Veterinary Manual says two strains have been found in dogs, H3N8 and H3N2. It spreads through droplets when dogs cough, sneeze and bark, and on shared things like water bowls and leashes, as well as on people's hands and clothes.

Dog flu in Canada: what happened in Ontario

In January 2018, the Ontario Veterinary College's Worms & Germs Blog reported H3N2 canine influenza in two dogs in Essex County. It was the first known arrival of H3N2 in Canada, in dogs imported from Asia through the United States. An advisory from Ontario's agriculture ministry, shared by the Ontario Animal Health Network, later described three clusters: two in Essex County and one in the Simcoe-Muskoka area.

The advisory noted that the virus spreads very easily between dogs, and that dogs in Canada generally don't have natural immunity from earlier infection. That's the real reason vets keep an eye out for it. When it does show up, most dogs have no protection at all.

Outbreaks come and go. Ask your vet whether canine influenza is circulating in your area now, especially before boarding or travel.

Who needs the canine influenza vaccine?

The dogs that most need the canine influenza vaccine are the ones that spend time in groups. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association's 2024 vaccination guidelines class vaccines against respiratory disease as non-core for pet dogs in typical homes, and core for dogs housed in shelters. Merck notes that outbreaks are most common where dogs are in close contact, like kennels, shelters and dog parks.

So your vet may bring it up if your dog boards at a kennel or stays with a sitter who has other dogs, goes to daycare, group training or shows, is a regular at the off-leash park, or travels somewhere with a known outbreak. A dog who mostly walks the block and naps on the couch is a different story.

Some boarding kennels and daycares ask for it. Check their rules early, because protection isn't instant.

How the dog flu vaccine is given

It starts with two doses. Merck's veterinary content says two doses are needed for an effective immune response, and your vet will set the gap between them. Vaccines are strain-specific: some target H3N8, some H3N2, and some cover both in one shot. After that, it's a yearly booster for as long as your dog stays at risk, since WSAVA says immunity from most non-core vaccines lasts about one year.

The Worms & Germs Blog points out that the vaccine reduces the risk of disease but doesn't guarantee protection, so basic hygiene still matters wherever dogs gather. Keep track of the dates in the free PetGrid app, where your pet's health records and reminders sit together, and see our dog and cat vaccine schedule for Canada for the core vaccines.

Questions to ask your vet

A quick chat at the next checkup is usually all it takes to decide. These are the questions worth asking:

1. Is canine influenza being seen in our area, or where we're planning to travel?
2. Given how often my dog meets other dogs, would you recommend the vaccine?
3. Which strains does the vaccine you stock cover?
4. How far ahead of boarding or daycare should the first dose go in?
5. Does my dog have a health condition that makes flu riskier, or the vaccine less suitable?

Jot the answers down with your dog's other records, so next year's plan is easy to follow. Then bring it up again whenever your dog's routine changes, like a new daycare or a move.

If your dog starts coughing

Call your vet and let them work out the cause, because a cough can come from lots of things, kennel cough included. During the 2018 outbreak, the Worms & Germs Blog advised keeping dogs with respiratory signs away from other dogs for at least three weeks, and calling the clinic before arriving so staff could avoid exposing other patients.

In the meantime, tell the clinic about the cough, your dog's appetite and their energy. Skip daycare, the park and doggy playdates until your vet says otherwise. And wash your hands and the bowls, since the virus travels on objects and hands.

Go to a vet or emergency clinic now if your dog has trouble breathing, a high fever, won't eat, or is very lethargic. These can be signs of pneumonia.

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En bref

In Canada, the canine influenza vaccine is a lifestyle vaccine. It's worth a conversation if your dog boards, goes to daycare or plays with lots of dogs, and it matters a lot less for a dog that rarely meets others. It starts with two doses and gets a yearly booster while the risk lasts. And whatever you decide, keeping a coughing dog at home is one of the kindest things you can do for the dogs around you.

The PetGrid app is free for pet owners and keeps every vaccine date in one place, with a card you can show the kennel. Have a look at the vaccine card.