http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2006/03/20/story7.html
Dog flu outbreak taking bite out of pet businesses
The Denver Business Journal - March 17, 2006
by Amy Bryer
Denver Business Journal
Doggy daycare centers, boarders and groomers are feeling a financial bite since an outbreak of canine influenza first appeared in Denver in January.
Some have lost thousands of dollars after having had to shut down for days or weeks at a time to disinfect their facilities and prevent further spread of the virus.
The dog flu is highly contagious and will infect nearly all dogs exposed to it. About 80 percent of them will show symptoms, which are like an upper respiratory infection often called "kennel cough." Between 5 percent and 8 percent are expected to die from the flu, according to Cornell University.
The symptoms are so similar to the common kennel cough that some vets were misdiagnosing the disease, giving the infected dog time to contaminate his pooch pals. A dog can spread the flu while he plays at dog parks or day cares, or even by spending the night at a kennel or meeting another dog in a waiting room at a vet clinic.
Doggy day care Camp Bow Wow in Aurora has had two outbreaks of the flu since January, said shift supervisor Mandy Giacinto. She describes the canine influenza as kennel cough but "a lot worse." Coughing is severe, often with a nasal discharge, and the dog will have a fever and become lethargic, not wanting to eat.
Once a dog is known to be infected, it can't return to Camp Bow Wow day care for two weeks in case it's still contagious. But that precaution has upset clients and hurt business, she said.
"When we're turning away dogs, it's definitely not good for business," Giacinto said.
The outbreak has been widespread, with reports of cases coming out of popular dog parks at Stapleton Redevelopment and at Chatfield Reservoir.
The pet industry is buzzing with stories about outbreaks affecting nearly all dog centers to some degree. University Hills Animal Hospital, for example, saw 30 cases in one week, according to veterinarian Nancy Willerton.
When the flu strain first appeared in January, most business owners said they didn't know what was happening -- other than an abnormally large number of their canine clients were coughing.
Some dogs got so sick, they ended up in the ICU at animal hospitals, diagnosed with pneumonia.
Willerton said the hospital had to close its boarding service for two weeks last month, costing about $7,500 in lost sales. The hospital also covered costs for treatment for clients whose dogs were known to have been infected there. That cost the hospital anywhere from $80 up to $1,000 or more if a dog had to be admitted to the hospital.
Nicole Delmoro owns three City Bark doggy day cares in the metro area and is opening a fourth in Parker. City Bark had to close two locations for one week each during the peak of the outbreaks a few weeks ago, she said, cutting revenue by half.
"This was the first time we've lost money since we opened three years ago," Delmoro said.
City Bark disinfected the locations during the shutdown and has taken other precautions. All dog handlers wash their hands before they switch play groups, staff is washing out water bowls with bleach every hour and suspected dogs are isolated.
Vets say there's little people can do to prevent the spread of the canine flu. It's a new strain that originated among greyhounds at racetracks. Most dogs lack immunity, but once they come in contact with the flu, vets claim the dogs will build up an immunity that will last about two years. Several drug companies are working on a vaccine.
Dog flu outbreak taking bite out of pet businesses
The Denver Business Journal - March 17, 2006
by Amy Bryer
Denver Business Journal
Doggy daycare centers, boarders and groomers are feeling a financial bite since an outbreak of canine influenza first appeared in Denver in January.
Some have lost thousands of dollars after having had to shut down for days or weeks at a time to disinfect their facilities and prevent further spread of the virus.
The dog flu is highly contagious and will infect nearly all dogs exposed to it. About 80 percent of them will show symptoms, which are like an upper respiratory infection often called "kennel cough." Between 5 percent and 8 percent are expected to die from the flu, according to Cornell University.
The symptoms are so similar to the common kennel cough that some vets were misdiagnosing the disease, giving the infected dog time to contaminate his pooch pals. A dog can spread the flu while he plays at dog parks or day cares, or even by spending the night at a kennel or meeting another dog in a waiting room at a vet clinic.
Doggy day care Camp Bow Wow in Aurora has had two outbreaks of the flu since January, said shift supervisor Mandy Giacinto. She describes the canine influenza as kennel cough but "a lot worse." Coughing is severe, often with a nasal discharge, and the dog will have a fever and become lethargic, not wanting to eat.
Once a dog is known to be infected, it can't return to Camp Bow Wow day care for two weeks in case it's still contagious. But that precaution has upset clients and hurt business, she said.
"When we're turning away dogs, it's definitely not good for business," Giacinto said.
The outbreak has been widespread, with reports of cases coming out of popular dog parks at Stapleton Redevelopment and at Chatfield Reservoir.
The pet industry is buzzing with stories about outbreaks affecting nearly all dog centers to some degree. University Hills Animal Hospital, for example, saw 30 cases in one week, according to veterinarian Nancy Willerton.
When the flu strain first appeared in January, most business owners said they didn't know what was happening -- other than an abnormally large number of their canine clients were coughing.
Some dogs got so sick, they ended up in the ICU at animal hospitals, diagnosed with pneumonia.
Willerton said the hospital had to close its boarding service for two weeks last month, costing about $7,500 in lost sales. The hospital also covered costs for treatment for clients whose dogs were known to have been infected there. That cost the hospital anywhere from $80 up to $1,000 or more if a dog had to be admitted to the hospital.
Nicole Delmoro owns three City Bark doggy day cares in the metro area and is opening a fourth in Parker. City Bark had to close two locations for one week each during the peak of the outbreaks a few weeks ago, she said, cutting revenue by half.
"This was the first time we've lost money since we opened three years ago," Delmoro said.
City Bark disinfected the locations during the shutdown and has taken other precautions. All dog handlers wash their hands before they switch play groups, staff is washing out water bowls with bleach every hour and suspected dogs are isolated.
Vets say there's little people can do to prevent the spread of the canine flu. It's a new strain that originated among greyhounds at racetracks. Most dogs lack immunity, but once they come in contact with the flu, vets claim the dogs will build up an immunity that will last about two years. Several drug companies are working on a vaccine.