Can the H1N1 Swine Flu Virus Affect Pets?
Pet Owners Concerned About Their Furry Friends
Nov 6, 2009
There is certainly an abundance of information about the human Swine flu, better known as the H1N1 virus, both over the Internet and on the news; however, there is not much information available for concerned pet owners. The legitimate question therefore remains: 'Can a cat or dog fall victim to the 2009 H1N1 flu'?
While not too long ago, there was a good amount of reassurance about the virus being unlikely to spread to pets, currently with the recent confirmation of the first Swine flu case involving a feline there is not much left to hang on to for concerned pet owners. The news comes from the Iowa Department of Public Health.
The case involves a thirteen year old cat that was presented to the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center at Iowa's College of Veterinary Medicine where it tested positive for the H1N1 virus. According to Iowa's Department of Public Health veterinarian, Dr. Ann Garvey : '“Two of the three members of the family that owns the pet had suffered from influenza-like illness before the cat became ill. This is not completely unexpected, as other strains of influenza have been found in cats in the past.”
At this time both the cat and the owners have fully recovered from the illness.
While this is the first case affecting a cat, previously on October 9th, 2009 a ferret was diagnosed with the H1N1 virus in Oregon and a second one was diagnosed in Nebraska on November 1st.. The latter ferret succumbed to the disease.
Of course, the news has many pet owners worried about their pet getting the virus and vice versa but the good news is that there is a lot that can be done to prevent the disease from spreading to pets. The same principles of practicing good hygiene ultimately apply as well to pet owners.
How to Prevent the Swine Flu in Pets
Pet owners should follow a series of guidelines that apply both to preventing the flu to their pets as to other humans. Following are some helpful tips:
- Wash hands
- Cover cough and sneezes
- Keep contact at a minimum when sick with the flu
- Monitor pet for flu symptoms
- Isolate sick pets from healthy ones
- Contact the vet immediately if pet appears sick
At this time there is no vaccination for pets. The human vaccination form is not suitable for pets. While there is a flu vaccination for dogs, it only protects them from the H3N8 flu virus and not the current 2009 H1N1 virus.
Symptoms of Swine Flu in Pets
According to the AVMA, based on the reports deriving from the pets infected so far, the symptoms appear to affect primarily the respiratory system. Affected pets therefore would exhibit the following symtpoms:
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Runny Nose
- Eye discharge
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
How the Swine Flu is Treated in Pets
Affected pets just as humans benefit from supportive care. They require rest, lots of fluids and they should be enticed to eat. In some cases, they may require a course of antibiotics in order to prevent secondary infections. Because there have been only a few reports of pets diagnosed with the H1N1 virus it is difficult at this time to evaluate the severity of the disease in pets. So far there are no reports of humans getting the disease from thier pets.
References:
Iowa Department of Public Health Protecting Pets From Illness
AVMA Frequently Asked Questions About the 2009 H151 Virus
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