Report: Dogs and cats can get H1N1 swine flu

November 5, 10:28 AMSalt Lake City Headlines ExaminerMarci Stone

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Salt Lake City Headlines Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

A cat has been confirmed with H1N1 virus
Marci Stone

A 13-year-old cat in Iowa tested positive for H1N1, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) said Wednesday. This is the first confirmed pet with H1N1 that has contracted it from owners.

The owners felt flu like symptoms and transferred the illness to the cat; both the owners and cat have recovered. Other strains of influenza have been found in cats previously so this is not uncommon, the AVMA reported.

The H1N1 virus is from pigs, and the AVMA confirmed a herd of pigs with the H1N1 virus on Tuesday. Turkeys have been reported with the H1N1 virus in Chile and Canada. Ferrets are known to be very susceptible to influenza viruses. Dogs and horses have also been known to catch influenza strains, but none have been reported so far with H1N1.

Indoor pets are around owners constantly and should be monitored for signs of illness. If a pet develops flu like symptom they should be taken to a veterinarian and not be treated at home, according to a report on Good Morning America this morning. Treating a sick pet is entirely different than treating a person and a veterinarian can provide the best treatment.

Over 5,000 people have died from H1N1 worldwide this year, and it is passed from person to person very easily. It is not yet known how easy it is to pass it onto a pet.

For more information, visit the American Veterinary Medical Association website

Sources: American Veterinary Medical Association, Good Morning America, and ABC News

Recent articles from this examiner:
Report: The spread of H1N1 in Utah is declining
Video: First victim identified from Anthony Sowell’s house – 11 bodies found so far
Pornography billboard in Utah creates controversy
Video: Nancy Garrido now claims she tried to free Jaycee Dugard
Sarah Palin book tour announced Wednesday
Maine election results 2009 gay marriage law rejected
Video: Bodies of 3 North Dakota students found in jeep submerged in lake
Police: 10 bodies have been found in Anthony Sowell’s home and a skull bucket
Noor Faleh Almaleki, Iraqi woman run over by father...dies