Interesting email that I received from Eddie’s old vet,Banfield Hospital:
H1N1 and Pets
On Wednesday, Nov. 4, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) issued a statement confirming that a cat in Iowa tested positive for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. Iowa state officials confirmed that this is the first time a cat has been diagnosed with a strain of influenza.
The cat, which is recovering, is believed to have contracted the virus from a human in the household who had H1N1. There are no indications that the cat passed the virus on to any other Pets or to other people. Prior to this diagnosis, the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus had been found in humans, pigs, birds and ferrets. The virus was confirmed in two ferrets in Nebraska and one in Oregon. There have been no reports of infection in dogs.
As with humans, supportive care is the only treatment available for Pets with this virus. However, if your Pet has a fever, cough/sneeze and nasal discharge and someone in your household has had an influenza-like illness the week prior to the illness of your Pet, you should contact your local Banfield veterinarian.
As always, we recommend Pet owners use preventive care measures to help keep their Pets healthy. Preventive care measures include frequent hand washing and use of alcohol based sanitizers, covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze and minimal contact with your Pet if you are presenting any influenza symptoms.
