By Josh Simeone                                                                                             J.Simeone@krdo.com

COLORADO SPRINGS - A dangerous outbreak of dog flu citywide has left two dog day care centers temporarily closed.

Lucky Dog Resort and Training and Camp Bow Wow both tell NEWSCHANNEL 13 they have voluntarily closed their doors to ensure a string of the dog flu is completely cleaned out.

Dr. Susan Bloss of Cheyenne Mountain Animal Hospital says the current string is extremely contagious.

"If they're (dogs) around a dog who's in the contagious period, which is usually the first two to five days of the infection, they can definitely contract it," Dr. Bloss says.

Dr. Bloss says the dog flu is a respiratory virus with no vaccine. Although it's rarely fatal, she says your dog can still get very sick. All it takes is a sneeze from one dog, and a sniff from another to contract it.

The dog flu can become severe, even fatal at times, if not treated. Dr. Bloss says antibiotics are used to treat the flu after a dog has been cultured. She says treatment can range from $45 to $100 in mild cases.

"If he's not eating, if you know he's just feeling very badly, you should take him in and have him evaluated and a doctor will decide if he needs antibiotics or not."

Dr. Bloss says early symptoms include a cough that lasts for 10 to 30 days and a greenish nasal discharge. She says just like with humans, healthy dogs can easily fight the flu.

As for the dog daycares: the owner of Camp Bow Wow says the Garden of the Gods location will soon be voluntarily shut down for two days. Meanwhile, a manager with Lucky Dog says the south location will be closed until January 12th. The north location, near Garden of the Gods road has been re-opened after it was closed from January 2 to the 5th.