Swine Flu - People are asking, "Can my pet get it?"

Monday April 27, 2009

We've received several emails from pet owners concerned that their pets could be at risk for the swine flu. It's a question that hadn't occured to me and so I set to work to get answers.

Many sites have information on the subject, but the best I found was from About.com's veterinarian, Janet Tobiassen Crosby.

Here are some excerpts from her article and a link to the original story at the end:

"Information about swine flu and how to protect yourself and your family is readily available. But what about our dogs and cats? Can they catch (or spread) swine flu to each other or members of their human family?

Most likely, the answer is no. This isn't an absolute answer, as viruses change, but historically there are no known dog/cat to human (or vice-versa) influenza transmissions. Here is more info about influenza viruses.

There are two types of influenza viruses: Type A and Type B. The Type A viruses are found in humans and many types of animals, usually strains specific to that species. The type B viruses circulate widely among humans.

Dogs and cats do have their own versions of influenza viruses. The canine influenza virus is an influenza Type A H3N8 virus, and the feline version is Type A H5N1 influenza virus. (The numbers and letters after the type denote the numbers and types of proteins on the surface of the virus. The letter H stands for hemagglutinin and the letter N stands for neuraminidase.)

Who is spreading what virus? It is interesting to note that birds play an important role in the spread of all influenza A viruses. From the CDC: "Wild birds are the primary natural reservoir for all subtypes of influenza A viruses and are thought to be the source of influenza A viruses in all other animals."

While rare, there have been human infections from pigs. In this current case of swine flu, a pig virus mixed with a human virus to produce the new strain that is being passed human-to-human. This allows for quick spread of this virus in the human population. Because this is a newly created (reassorted) virus, humans do not have any immunity from previous exposures as with "regular" viruses.

Back to dogs and cats While they both have influenza Type A viruses that can infect and cause illness in dogs and cats, humans are not as similar of a species to share these viruses in the current forms. There have been no reports yet of any cases that have spread to humans or from humans to pets.

If your pet is sick
As always, if you suspect that your dog or cat is sick, please contact your veterinarian directly for an examination and to discuss any questions."

To read the original story, click HERE

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