Veterinarians have confirmed the first official case of canine flu in Massachusetts. Here's what you need to know about the extremely contagious virus.

Canine flu has been sweeping the country for much of 2018, but it was just recently that the first case was confirmed and treated in Massachusetts.

Vets at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell say a four-month-old poodle was successfully treated earlier this month after arriving with a cough and high fever.

And according to WCVB.com, the poodle did not travel to any outbreak states. Meaning the highly contagious disease has officially arrived in the Bay State.

Canine flu present with typical flu symptoms...coughing, lethargy, fever. The cough is the worst of it, so be sure to get your pup checked if they are doing a lot of coughing.

Canine flu is different from kennel cough in that is can be transmitted from dog to dog quite easily. Even just touching noses at a dog park could pass the virus from one four-legged friend to another.

Although canine flu is rarely fatal, it can travel pretty fast among dog populations with nearly 100 percent of dogs exposed becoming sick themselves.

You can have your dog vaccinated against canine flu and vets suggest you do, especially if you have an older dog with respiratory problems. Canine flu can often lead to pneumonia in dogs with respiratory issues.

Dog flu cannot be transmitted from pets to humans, so dog owners are safe there.

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