Despite all the worry about swine flu (H1N1) over the last few months, I’ve been confident that four-legged family members were safe from the disease.
Until now.
Government officials released information on Wednesday, November 11 about a cat from Iowa — thought to be the first confirmed case of swine flu in a feline.
The thirteen year old cat exhibited the following symptoms: lethargy, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing. The vet who treated the cat described the symptoms as flu-like. Testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames confirmed that the cat was suffering from swine flu.
The cat did recover with treatment.
Two pet ferrets have also had confirmed cases of swine flu (one in Nebraska and one in Oregon) — but both did not recover.
A spokesman from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said that they knew interspecies transmission of the swine flu was a possibility. It seems like the disease passed from human to animal in this case — although the CDC also has considered the possibility of the flu virus moving from pet to owner as well. Other flu strains have crossed species.
In the case of this particular cat, two members of the human household were sick with flu-like symptoms before the cat fell ill.
Experts aren’t sure how sick pets could get if they do catch swine flu. Veterinarians simply haven’t seen enough cases yet to know how the virus will affect family pets. One cat and two ferrets is just not a large enough sample to know if other family pets are at risk, or how dangerous the disease will be.
If you are concerned about your pets catching swine flu, you can take some precautions. Think about swine flu vaccines for your family — especially if any family members are at higher risk. This can help prevent the spread of disease to people AND pets. Wash your hands frequently throughout the day, and be sure to cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze.