The first case of H3N2 dog flu, the same dog flu that sickened more than 1,000 dogs in the Midwest, has been reported in Texas.
The positive test came from a dog in Beach City, near Houston, after the pets owners recently moved from Chicago.
The H3N2 dog flu was detected in April in Chicago. It has killed several dogs and sickened hundreds of others.
Researchers believe the H3N2 strain mutated from a form of avian flu, and prior to the outbreak in the U.S. had only been detected in South Korea, Thailand and China, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Right now, there is no vaccine specifically designed to prevent the H3N2 strain.
Symptoms include fever, runny nose and cough, but complications from severe cases can lead to pneumonia or result in death.
Dog flu can be transferred through direct contact with respiratory secretions and from contaminated surfaces that may be present at kennels, shelters and veterinarians' offices.
