Beware dog flu: scientists warn family pet could spark the next pandemic Scientists have warned that domestic dogs – anything from a loyal labrador to a precious pug – could be harbouring the virus that sparks the next big influenza pandemic.
New flu viruses are incubated in animals before they jump to humans.
The 1918 Spanish flu that killed between 50 and 100 million people is thought to have started in geese. And the milder 2009 "swine flu" pandemic was transmitted to humans via pigs, killing an estimated 245,000 people globally.
Now scientists have found domestic dogs are harbouring flu viruses with the potential to jump to humans, potentially turning man's best friend into one of our greatest threats. The Daily Telegraph
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