I always took it for granted that the flu virus was species specific, barring a major mutation like the one that let H1N1 jump from pigs to humans. However, it turns out that the latest round of swine flu is being picked up in our furrier family members. A case of swine flu was just confirmed in a dog in the suburbs of New York. Swine flu has previously been confirmed in cats and ferrets.
In both cases, experts say the disease is not likely to spread from animal to human. In other words, you don't have to disinfect your dog's feet and nose with Purell every time you come back from a walk. Or fret that your cat might be spending too much time near the neighborhood preschool.
Swine flu, much like any upper respiratory infection, is proving to be very dangerous for our pets. One cat and one ferret are confirmed to have died from swine flu which they caught from their owners. And unlike with humans, there is currently no pet version of the swine flu vaccine.
The first pet to be diagnosed with swine flu was an elderly tabby cat in Iowa who experienced lethargy and difficulty breathing. Cats have also tested positive in Iowa, Utah, and Pennsylvania. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, seven cases of swine flu have been confirmed in cats in the United States, three of which have proved fatal despite prompt veterinary treatment.
Five ferrets have tested positive for the disease in Nebraska and Oregon. Furthermore, a handful of other species have tested positive for the disease, including turkeys, pigs, and a cheetah from a Californian zoo.
The news about the spread of swine flu to pets is yet one more reason to watch your hygiene throughout the year, and particularly during flu season. I have made it a practice to hit the sink as soon as I come in the house, to give my hands a good washing. This is the best way to prevent a whole host of diseases, not just influenza! Pets, being smaller than us, probably require a smaller dose of the virus in order to get sick, and may therefore be more susceptible to germs that you bring into the house.
If you do come down with swine flu, or any strain of flu, veterinarians recommend that you limit your contact with your pets as much as possible, to keep them from catching your illness. Even so, they freely admit that this is one of those things that sounds better in theory than in practice.
I know that for myself, my cats absolutely love it when I get sick. "Finally we get to do something I like to do," they seem to say, "sleep all day long!" If I am running a fever, all the better, because they love to cozy up to the extra heat like a furnace.
If you do come down with the flu, keep an eye out for the classic symptoms of a respiratory disease in your pets. These include lethargy, loss of appetite, wheezing, and coughing.
Printer-friendly version