This is a reemerging pathogen in 2009 of a potentially dangerous canine flu called H3N8, and there is very little information to make predictions about it's potential spread through the USA at this time. And it appears that the fatality rate is between 1 and 10 percent.

This deadly H3N8 canine flu has been making family domestic dogs and also racing greyhounds ill in the USA. It is known by experts to have jumped from horses in a “very rare event,” say scientists.

Dogs have no natural immunity to the virus, and virtually every animal exposed will be infected. About 80 percent of dogs that are infected with the virus will develop some symptoms, the symptoms are often mistaken for “kennel cough,” a common canine illness that is caused by the bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria.

Both diseases can cause coughing and gagging for up to three weeks, but dogs with canine flu may have fevers as high as 106 degrees and runny noses. A few will develop pneumonia, which is sometimes fatal. Antibiotics and fluid cut the pneumonia fatality rate. The virus is an H3N8 flu closely related to an equine flu strain. It is not related to a typical human flu or to the H5N1 avian flu.

Experts said there are no known cases of the canine flu infecting humans. The risk of that is low. Local veterinary health experts agree.

Still, the reaction for canine's getting this flu can be acute.

But with the human flu season and fears about the recent pandemic human flu scares in the media there is much confusion among some dog-owners who have heard of this canine flu disease.

Just because there is currently a lack of the H3N8 canine flu cases in your city, county and state areas, is no reason for dog people to overreact, or under react to visible symptoms of a dog coughing. It also means dog owners and vets should be aware its out there in the USA, and could strike any area of the USA at any time in the near future.