After Florida was hit was with the Canine Flu this season, Camp Bow Wow is working on making the flu vaccine mandatory for it's campers.
According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and consumer services, H3N2 has been around in the U.S. since 2015 but 2017 was the first time the virus was confirmed in Florida.
Camp Bow Wow director Patrick Hoelscher says they are working on making it mandatory for dog owners to get their dogs vaccinated with the Canine Flu Bivalent H3N2 and H3N8 Influenza Vaccine.
"It’s like anything else, like the bordetella, it can be very contagious, we want all the dogs protected," Hoelscher said.
RELATED | Dog flu cases reported in Fla., veterinarians urge owners to vaccinate dogs
On average, Camp Bow Wow counselors take care of about 100 dogs at a time, making it easy for viruses to transfer from one dog to the next.
The first confirmed case in Florida was out of Pebbel Creek Animal Hospital. However, veterinarians are not required to report the cases to the state, so there is a possibility there have been more cases.
New dog owner Mariah Olive did not even think twice about getting her Australian Cattle dog, Lallo, vaccinated and says it's just what you do when you sign up for a dog.
“I say, put your dog first, get the vaccinations. It’s what’s best for them. And in the long run it saves you pain too if your dog gets sick or not.”
