Tests on five dogs that exhibited breathing problems at a St. Paul animal shelter indicate that none has canine flu, prompting shelter officials to resume adopting and surrendering dogs Friday.
The nasal swab results came back a day after Animal Humane Society officials said that a dog adopted earlier this week from their St. Paul shelter had tested positive for the H3N2 flu.
It was the first reported case of dog flu in the metro area, although the flu was first confirmed in Minnesota last month at a training and rescue facility in Detroit Lakes.
In a statement, the Animal Humane Society said it was isolating dogs with flu symptoms at its four other local shelters until test results for those animals come back Tuesday. Unaffected dogs will remain eligible for adoption.
Officials were urging dog owners to watch for possible signs of the flu, including coughing and sneezing, fever, nasal discharge, loss of appetite and lethargy.
The flu rarely results in death, but it can make a dog miserable for several days. The shelter dog that fell ill, a male Shar-Pei mix, reportedly is recovering well with its adoptive family.
KEVIN DUCHSCHERE
