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Pets 101: Can my dog get swine flu?
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Flickr, rikkis refuge
The swine flu (H1N1 virus) is worrying everyone across the country with the outbreak in North America, so it is not surprising that dog owners are wondering if their dogs could be at risk of contracting swine flu as well. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), despite being called swine flu, the virus is being spread by people not animals. Interestingly enough, the AVMA states that “None of the US cases had contact with pigs….and no US pigs have been found to be infected with this flu strain.”
So Where is the Virus Coming From?
That could be a mystery because the major world health organizations (e.g. The Centers for Disease Control) are still trying to investigate the cases to determine where exactly the virus came from. As you may recall, the virus was reported in central Mexico, Texas and California in the spring. It is believed that the virus had the ability to spread and could now be a worldwide issue. If you would like to keep up to date with the situation on the HIN1 flu, visit the CDC web site by clicking here.
Do Dog Owners Need to Worry About Giving the Swine Flu to their Dogs?
Well, according to the AVMA, there is no evidence that pets are susceptible to the swine flu as it appears to be transmitted only from person to person or from human to swine. So for now, it looks like dogs are safe from the swine flu although the AVMA goes on to say that there is not enough information to determine if the H1N1 virus can be transmitted to other animals; therefore, it is advisable to wash your hands after handling animals. The good news is that there have been no reported cases (in 2009) of the swine flu being contracted by eating pork. It is believed that the H1N1 virus is not a food-borne disease.
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