Puppy playtime is on hold in Chicagoland.

The canine influenza H3N2 virus has infected at least 1,500 dogs and caused seven deaths in the Chicago area in the last few weeks, leaving dog parks abandoned and causing many kennels and daycare providers to close temporarily.

“That is almost unheard of in the veterinary world,” Dr. Natalie Marks, a veterinarian at Blum Animal Hospital in Lakeview, said. “It’s certainly not something we’ve seen here before.”

The strain originated in South Korea in 2007 and before this month had never been seen in the United States. No one is sure how the epidemic reached Chicago but it has recently been confirmed in at least four states and the suburbs.

“It’s going to be a nationwide epidemic at some point,” said Marks. “Originally, we were just seeing daycare or boarding pets who had been in a communal dog area for days on end. Now we’re seeing it from dogs who barely go outside their condo building.”

After the initial outbreak earlier in the month, many dog daycares and kennels closed to prevent spreading the disease but have since reopened.

“Last weekend people were out at the dog beach and the dog parks all over here and we had 18 new cases on Monday,” she said. “We have to be vigilant and be educating people as frequently as we can in hopes of it really slowing down.”

Symptoms of canine influenza include cough, runny nose and fever, but individual cases can range from a dog showing no symptoms at all to severe illness and death. It is not contagious to humans, but researchers are unsure whether the virus can be spread to cats.

Marks said Blum Animal Hospital and other clinics in the area are working directly with virologists at Cornell University to help create a vaccine specific to the unique strain, but there is no centralized organization to oversee the outbreak. Other clinics are working with local labs or outside agencies. 

“They don’t really have a CDC, per se, for veterinary outbreaks because they don’t happen that often,” Marks said.

Uninfected dogs can catch the flu through direct contact with an infected dog or objects contaminated by the virus.  The strain can live on clothing for up to 24 hours, so Marks encouraged dog owners to talk to their dog walkers about preventative measures to avoid spreading the disease.

“If a walker goes into a home with a coughing dog and then goes directly into another home,” Marks said. “We’re just basically transferring it around the city.”

Veterinarians recommend pet owners avoid all communal spaces including dog parks, kennels, daycare, pet stores and groomers. Owners of small dogs should also pick up their dogs in elevators to avoid contact.

But not everyone is following these precautions. Steve Clark and his two small dogs, Lola and Rico, recently played at the nearly deserted Wiggly Field dog park in Lincoln Park.

As his Miniature Pinscher and Miniature Pinscher-Jack Russell mix played, Clark didn’t seem concerned despite the cautionary sign posted on the entrance gate and recent warnings from his veterinarian.

“I’m not concerned, but it’s good to be cautious,” Clark said.  “We’re probably not going to go to the dog beach though just because it’s such a concentrated amount of dogs in one area and they definitely do comingle there.”

Although it is unclear how effective the H3N8 vaccine is at protecting against the new H3N2 virus, some owners are choosing to vaccinate their dogs to potentially minimize symptoms.

“Cornell is also working with the USDA to see if there is any cross-protection, and hoping that what we have currently will spill over into immunity against the H3N2,” said Marks. “No one really has any idea if that is going to happen, but it’s certainly better that we do something — not just sit here.”

DePaul senior Alyssa Marcy chose not to vaccinate her dogs Sofia and Rhea but is taking other precautionary measures like avoiding communal spaces and communicating with her neighbors who also own dogs. She also avoids water bowls set outside by shops and restaurants.

Marcy visited her veterinarian this week but was surprised that the clinic didn’t emphasize the flu risk other than offering the vaccine. “They didn’t ask about or talk about the flu,” she said. “They asked if I wanted the vaccine but they were just like ‘really, it might not do anything.’”

In her Lincoln Park apartment Saturday, Marcy held Sofia, a Chihuahua-Fox Terrier mix in a purple kimono coat.  She said the safety guidelines aren’t easy to follow, especially when living in the city without a yard.

“It’s hard because just the amount of dogs on this street is crazy,” she said. “All the spaces  are shared, no matter what.”

Many dog owners rely on kennels, daycare centers and dog walkers to care for their dogs during the work day, making it difficult for owners to keep their dogs isolated and prevent the spread of the flu. 

But Brad Kriser, CEO and founder of Kriser’s Natural Pet Store, believes that dog owners are making an effort to avoid public spaces. He has seen a decline in the number of pets visiting the stores and groomers.

Those who do have grooming appointments are now asked additional health questions prior to the visit and are given an additional health evaluation at the store to check for symptoms.

“There hasn’t been too many that we’ve had to turn away,” Kriser said. “People have really been responsible and taking this epidemic to heart and really trying to stop it.”

Marks said all dog owners are equally responsible for stopping the spread of the virus. While some businesses and dog owners are taking precautionary measures, others are not, and the virus cannot be stopped without strict isolation. “(How long the flu might last) really depends on when the community is going to continue to take it seriously,” Marks said. “We could in theory keep it here for a while.”

Which means Lola and Rico might be looking at more lonely days at Wiggly Field.

“It’s kind of strange that when we got here there were no dogs,” Clark said. “I guess it’s a little more serious than I thought it was.”