West Nile Virus and Your Dog

Warm weather brings the joy of the outdoors to family outings with the dog. Unfortunately, the warmer months and the summer bring a risk to all of us who like to spend time in the woods or even the backyard.

Those Texas-sized hummingbird invaders known as mosquitoes are carrying the West Nile Virus throughout many parts of the United States. The more time that you and your dog spend outdoors, the greater the risk you run to being infected with this virus. The Centers for Disease Control reports that at the end of 2002, there were human cases of the virus found in 44 states in the US.

The West Nile Virus is a flavivirus that usually brings a mild infection of flu-like symptoms. It will usually only last a few days with basic aches and pains along with a fever. A rash is also possible along with swollen lymph nodes. West Nile encephalitis, meningitis, or meningoencephalitis are more serious forms of the virus. It will include an inflammation of the membrane around the brain or perhaps the brain itself.

The Centers for Disease Control in the United States has recorded few cases of serious West Nile infections in dogs. There is a least one case of a dog in poor health dying from the disease, however. Evidence does not currently show the virus to be a serious problem for dogs and dogs infected are thought to not even carry enough of the virus to infect additional mosquitoes.

DEET-based repellents used by many humans are not approved for use on dogs. There is concern that dogs may ingest too much of the chemical by licking themselves. You should talk with your veterinarian about the appropriate product for use on your pet. For more information about the West Nile Virus to the the Centers for Disease Control Web Site.

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