Iowa cat tests positive for Swine Flu (H1N1 viral infection in house pet confirmed November 4, 2009)

November 5, 12:57 AMCelebrity Property ExaminerKae Davis

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An Iowa cat has the first confirmed case of Swine Flu, the H1N1 strain of the flu virus.
Fox Network [Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House examines a cat.]

The strange news rumor is true: pet owners should try to protect their pets from Swine Flu.

Celebrities who travel frequently on planes with their pets often or people who happen to get sick during the normal course of work and daily life at home need to take precautions to protect their animals against H1N1 -- more commonly known as Swine Flu.

In a frightening odd news report, a 13 year old cat in Iowa has tested positive for the virus. The rumor has been confirmed, and the subject of gossip is no joke. The urban legend gaining fame right now in health reports and from veterinary and medical professionals is actually quite serious.

Making Swine Flu famous: H1N1 gains fame -- what are the symptoms and more about the vaccine

IOWA CAT CONTRACTS SWINE FLU FROM HUMANS

Yes, you CAN give your pets the flu.

The Iowa cat with Swine Flu  is the first known case where a common house pet has actually contracted the virus from humans. Although no confirmed cases have been reported in dogs yet, two ferrets have actually died from the mutating viral disease, and birds have also come down with the viral infection.

The animal lived through the illness, which included symptoms of listlessness and difficulty breathing, after it's family endured a week plus of their own flu-like symptoms before the animal got sick... so you can't blame pigs. Pet loving people will have to blame the health and hygiene habits of the humans.

TRIVIA NOTES ABOUT CELEBRITY PET OWNERS: Celebrities George Clooney and Paris Hilton have kept pigs as pets in their home. George Clooney's pet pig lived a long life and passed away of non-flu causes. Paris Hilton is taking flack from PETA for owning a new animal purchased from a puppy mill style pot belly pig farm. There is no evidence that pigs or pork products cause swine flu, despite the layman name for the H1N1 virus bringing swine fame.

CAT WITH SWINE FLU RUMOR NOT A HOAX

The report about the cat with Swine flu released as fact -- not fiction -- to the general public Wednesday  actually came from a reliable source. USA Today confirms,

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine confirmed that a 13-year-old cat whose owners had experienced flu-like symptoms contracted H1N1 (swine) flu.

Reuters news go on to report,

Two of the three members of the family that owns the pet had suffered from influenza-like illness before the cat became ill," Iowa Department of Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Ann Garvey said in a statement.

To protect your pets, experts suggest taking the same precautions you would to prevent spreading the flu to other people, including getting the vaccine, wearing a mask, keeping some distance and washing your hands.

[Source: USA Today]

[Source: Reuters]