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Connecticut officials study swine flu in cats
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Talk of the H1N1 or swine flu is buzzing around the country. Everywhere you look, you hear about it and its effects on humans, how to prevent the spread of it and how important it is to teach kids to be careful and wash their hands. But, now, even cats are hitting the swine flu news. The 13 year old cat in Iowa that contracted the disease from its humans is all over the news.
But, now people are wondering if a cat can pass this virus to other cats or even back to people. At the moment there's no evidence that a domestic animal can give the disease to humans. However, humans can most definitely give it to their pets. (And non-pet people say animals are diseased?!) The Iowa cat was the first case ever that a cat had even contracted swine flu, so prognosis on inter-species contamination is sketchy at this time.
To help prevent the the spread of this disease, whether to other human family members or pet family members, take the same precautions that are being advertised like wildfire across the news: wash hands regularly, use sanitizers and keep hands away from faces until they have been well cleaned. As an extra measure, for your pet's sake, don't pet Kitty or Rufus until you and your family have taken the same steps they would for each other. Proper sanitization is not just for humans anymore.
More Flu News
The flu is not new news in the animal world. Many species of animals can contract the flu and its various strains. The original canine influenza, first diagnosed in dogs in 2004, is a strain of flu that began in horses. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the equine virus has now adapted to spread from dog to dog.
And let's not forget the recent bird flu that caused panic in recent years. However, the bird flu seemed to be contained mainly to those working in very close proximity to birds, such as chicken keepers and factory farms. Or in countries with less strict protocols on disease prevention.
Any virus can mutate and spread, and proper hygiene should be observed whether there's a strain dancing its way around the current news or not.
As for the kitty in Iowa, after he had stopped eating and began showing signs of malaise and lethargy, his owners took hm to the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. A sample taken from the cat proved to be a virus and further tests revealed a positive diagnosis of the swine flu virus strain. He was given fluids and put on a course of antibiotics and is now responding well to his treatments.
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