Flu on Dogs?
Swine Flu in Pets , Can Pets get H1N1 Flu
HN1 Flu in Pets
Many of us have pets that are just as much a part of the family as
anyone else, and with epidemic of swine flu a lot of animal owners are
asking “Can pets get H1N1 flu?” It’s only natural to wonder if we will
soon see the swine flu in pets. Here’s the good news, the answer to
“Can pets get H1N1 flu” is no. It is very unlikely we will see the H1N1
virus in our cats or dogs and here's why:
Researchers give each strain of flu virus a number. The one spreading
so fast from human to human right now is known as H1N1. It's a virus
that picked up a combination of parts from the flu that usually causes
minor infections in birds, the one that usually shows up in pigs, and the
one human fight off every year. So it's packing weapons we're unfamiliar
with, and that's why it's catching our immune systems by surprise.
But it's very difficult for these viruses to jump from one species to
another. The last time flu combined these three strains together was
almost a hundred years ago in what was known as the "Spanish flu"
epidemic. And the "Bird flu" in the news last year was only ever passed
from birds to humans - not from humans to humans, or from humans to
birds.
But let's take a look at how a few types of pets handle the flu.
• Dogs - A flu virus known as H3N8, which usually infects horses, was
recently discovered to be the cause of Canine Influenza. This is the first
real flu virus to infect dogs, so their immune systems are not good at
fighting it off yet. They can get secondary infections leading to
pneumonia, but most cases aren't fatal.
• Cats - The "Bird flu," a strain of the virus usually found in birds, is
known as H5N1. When it crossed from birds to humans in the 1990's it
resulted in several human deaths. Surprisingly enough, it also started
infecting domestic cats. Until then, no flu virus had successfully crossed
to cats, so their immune systems don't have the tools to fight it off. There
is another disease in cats, frequently called "Feline flu" but it's not
caused by a true influenza virus. It just causes symptoms in cats that
humans relate to their own flu symptoms.
Even though the swine flu in pets is probably not a danger, they have
their own illnesses to worry about and need their own special care. If
your animals are behaving unusually, or have a new flu-like symptom,
check in with your veterinarian and help get them back on their four feet
as soon as possible. Our families wouldn't be the same without them.
HN1 Flu in Pets
Many of us have pets that are just as much a part of the family as
anyone else, and with epidemic of swine flu a lot of animal owners are
asking “Can pets get H1N1 flu?” It’s only natural to wonder if we will
soon see the swine flu in pets. Here’s the good news, the answer to
“Can pets get H1N1 flu” is no. It is very unlikely we will see the H1N1
virus in our cats or dogs and here's why:
Researchers give each strain of flu virus a number. The one spreading
so fast from human to human right now is known as H1N1. It's a virus
that picked up a combination of parts from the flu that usually causes
minor infections in birds, the one that usually shows up in pigs, and the
one human fight off every year. So it's packing weapons we're unfamiliar
with, and that's why it's catching our immune systems by surprise.
But it's very difficult for these viruses to jump from one species to
another. The last time flu combined these three strains together was
almost a hundred years ago in what was known as the "Spanish flu"
epidemic. And the "Bird flu" in the news last year was only ever passed
from birds to humans - not from humans to humans, or from humans to
birds.
But let's take a look at how a few types of pets handle the flu.
• Dogs - A flu virus known as H3N8, which usually infects horses, was
recently discovered to be the cause of Canine Influenza. This is the first
real flu virus to infect dogs, so their immune systems are not good at
fighting it off yet. They can get secondary infections leading to
pneumonia, but most cases aren't fatal.
• Cats - The "Bird flu," a strain of the virus usually found in birds, is
known as H5N1. When it crossed from birds to humans in the 1990's it
resulted in several human deaths. Surprisingly enough, it also started
infecting domestic cats. Until then, no flu virus had successfully crossed
to cats, so their immune systems don't have the tools to fight it off. There
is another disease in cats, frequently called "Feline flu" but it's not
caused by a true influenza virus. It just causes symptoms in cats that
humans relate to their own flu symptoms.
Even though the swine flu in pets is probably not a danger, they have
their own illnesses to worry about and need their own special care. If
your animals are behaving unusually, or have a new flu-like symptom,
check in with your veterinarian and help get them back on their four feet
as soon as possible. Our families wouldn't be the same without them.
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