A friend sent us a news story about the "dog flu," That we want to share with you.

My friend checked with Dr. Melissa Kennedy, a clinical virologist at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Teaching College and infectious disease and immunology consultant for the Veterinary Information Network. "Canine influenza virus (CIV) is a contagious viral disease spread most commonly among dogs with close contact or shared airspace, much like our influenza," she said. "Pet dogs at home are at very low risk. Dogs that board or frequently commingle with other dogs could be at risk."

What kind of risk are we talking about? "CIV is generally a mild disease, with typical symptoms of cough, some lethargy, fever and perhaps nasal discharge," said Kennedy. "As with the human influenza, there is a risk for secondary bacterial infections, which can be serious. This risk is highest among puppies and elderly dogs, where immunity may not be as good as in healthy adult animals." Bottom line from Dr. Kennedy: "For most pet dogs, and probably most cases, it causes mild disease." She confirmed that canine influenza is probably one of many causes of "kennel cough," although she used its more correct medical name, canine respiratory disease complex. "There are several viral and bacterial agents that may play a role in this disease complex, of which canine influenza virus is one," she said.

We asked her about the new vaccine, just approved in June. It's a killed virus vaccine and does not actually prevent infection with CIV. Nor does it protect your dog from becoming ill, although it might make his symptoms less severe (or not). And it also doesn't mean your dog, sick or not, can't infect other dogs, even after he's been vaccinated. She said she does not consider the new canine influenza vaccine a "core" vaccine that should be given to every dog, but rather a tool that might be helpful in shelters, kennels or other environments where dogs are housed in close quarters and high numbers. She also agreed that vaccinated dogs, who can still be infected, could carry the disease home to other dogs.

Of course, influenza viruses are tricky things, and can mutate rapidly and unpredictably, so anything we say about CIV today could be wrong tomorrow. This virus could become nastier, or less nasty, over time; we really don't know. But for the moment, it's basically no bigger danger to our dogs than kennel cough is, which is to say, in most cases it will cause mild symptoms (or none). Yet in some dogs, particularly the very young, very old and immune-compromised, it can cause more severe illness and even death. It can also be a real threat in crowded environments such as shelters or anywhere dogs are kept together in a confined space, and the new vaccine may have a role to play in those kinds of settings. But the average couch-sitting, yard-playing, park-walking pet probably isn't going to benefit from this vaccine, and probably isn't at much risk of severe illness from the virus, either -- anymore than we humans are from the common cold. --

Here's a rough way to figure a cat's age in human terms: Count the first year of a cat's life as being comparable to the time a human reaches the early stages of adulthood -- the age of 15 or so. The second year of a cat's life picks up some of that maturity and takes a cat to the first stages of full adulthood in humans -- a 2-year-old cat is roughly equivalent to a person in his mid-20s.
From there, a "5 equals 1" rule works pretty well. A cat of 3 is still young, comparable to a person of 29. A 6-year-old cat, similar to a 41-year-old person, is middle-aged. And a 12-year-old cat, similar to a 65-year-old person, has earned the right to slow down a little. A cat who lives to be 20 is the feline equivalent of nearly 100 in terms of human life span.

Look, we get the shelter volunteer thing:
The work can be depressing, and it's truly not for everyone. People who want to "take them all home" are not really candidates for this sort of volunteering, nor are people who cannot enjoy the small victories of a perfect pet placement or a sick pet saved when other pets aren't as lucky.

But just because you aren't cut out for shelter volunteering doesn't mean you can't help animals in your community. And in these current economic situations, your help has never been more needed. The fact is that every little bit helps. After all, if every one of us animal lovers did one small thing a couple of times a year, the total effort would be grand indeed.

Here are a few suggestions for helping animals:
Help others take better care of their pets. If you have a friend, neighbor or relative who is having difficulty caring for a pet because of advanced age or illness, offer to help out. Pets are extremely important to those who are cut off from social activities. Helping people keep their pets is a kindness to both pet and pet owner. What can you do? Pick up food or litter, or offer to take the pet to the veterinarian when needed. Many times, people who rely on others for assistance are reluctant to ask for more help on account of a pet. So ask if you can help. After all, if you're already going to the pet-supply store or veterinarian, is it really that much trouble to pick up some extra supplies or stay for an additional appointment? Make a call for animals. Animal cruelty should not be tolerated, not only for the animals, but also because of the proven link between animal cruelty and crimes against people.

Too often, though, animal cruelty is shrugged off by the judicial system as a lesser crime. Don't accept a "boys will be boys" attitude when it comes to animal cruelty. Call, e-mail and write to prosecutors and judges in animal cruelty cases. Demand that children get the help they need to break the cycle of cruelty and that adult offenders are punished to the fullest extent of the law. Public opinion counts in these cases! When animal-related legislation is introduced, study it and then let your elected representatives know your stand.

Not all animal-related legislation is good, so do your homework. Pay to spay. Don't place an animal in a new home unless you've made sure the pet won't reproduce. You may think you're doing a good deed in a finding home for a pet you cannot keep, or for a litter of kittens born in your garage to a semi-wild mother cat. But if you don't pay to spay, you really aren't helping. Instead of placing a pet for free, spay or neuter the animal and then charge an adoption fee to cover the cost of the procedure. You'll save the adopter time and will ensure that the pet you place won't add to the overpopulation problem.

Help a shelter or rescue group. Volunteers are always needed to help with the animals in the shelter or to foster pets who need a home environment. But if you don't want to contribute on a regular basis, then see if you can help on a short-term project.
Can you check people in at a spay-neuter clinic?
Work a pet-behavior hot line now and then?
Follow up on adoptions?

Many groups have fundraiser throughout the year. They need volunteers to help with ticket sales, setup, concessions and cleanup. You can also help by finding out what your local shelter or rescue groups need in the way of services or supplies and then calling to ask for donations. Shelters are in constant need not only of pet food, litter, old newspapers and towels, but also office and janitorial supplies and building materials.

Get a wish list from your shelter and get to work! Those are just a few ideas. If you have others, let us know and we'll share them on our Web site, at www.dirtydogsandmeow.com