THE STATE VETERINARIAN IS ADVISING DOG OWNERS TO MONITOR THEIR PETS DUE TO REPORTS OF CANINE INFLUENZA IN TENNESSEE.  THE U-T COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE RECENTLY CONFIRMED DETECTION OF CANINE INFLUENZA IN FOUR DOGS IN EAST TENNESSEE.  DOG FLU IS A HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VIRAL INFECTION SPREAD AMONG DOGS VIA DIRECT CONTACT, NASAL SECRETIONS AND CONTAMINATED OBJECTS.  PEOPLE WHO HANDLE INFECTED DOGS MAY ALSO TRANSMIT THE VIRUS TO HEALTHY DOGS.  THIS VIRUS CAN AFFECT CATS BUT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE DOG FLU STRAINS DETECTED HAVE CAUSED ILLNESS IN HUMANS.  SYMPTOMS OF CANINE INFLUENZA INCLUDE PERSISTENT COUGH, DISCHARGE FROM THE NOSE OR EYES, SNEEZING, LETHARGY, LOSS OF APPETITE AND FEVER.  NEARLY ALL DOGS EXPOSED TO THE ILLNESS BECOME INFECTED.  ALTHOUGH IT WILL RESULT IN A MILD ILLNESS IN MOST DOGS, IN SOME CASES IT CAN LEAD TO PNEUMONIA AND EVEN DEATH, PARTICULARLY FOR PUPPIES, ELDERLY DOGS AND DOGS WITH PRE-EXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS.  IF YOU SUSPECT YOUR DOG MAY BE ILL, CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN IMMEDIATELY.