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If your cat has breathing problems it could be a sign of the H1N1 virus. (Photo Holly Miyasaki)
By Holly Miyasaki
A local veterinarian is stressing there’s no need to panic over the fact that some domesticated animals in North America have contracted the H1N1 flu virus.
On Nov. 18, a cat in Oregon died from the flu, but it’s a rare occurrence says Kelowna’s Fairfield Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Michael Dube.
“The risk is mostly for cats and ferrets,” he explains. “But even with that, it’s a very low risk.”
Another two cats in the United States have been diagnosed with the flu virus but are recovering. At the end of October a ferret in Nebraska died due to H1N1, but another ferret from the same household is recovering from the illness.
According to Veterinary Practice News, it is believed all three cats may have contracted the virus from their human counterparts through coughing and sneezing.
The World Health Organization said at the beginning of November that there has been no sign of the H1N1 pandemic mutating to a highly infective strain. “While most influenza A viruses circulating in mammals preferentially infect a single species, cross-species transmission is known to occur,” says the WHO site.
Signs of H1N1 in an animal can include lethargy and breathing problems, says Dube. But, it’s not easy to get a diagnosis in pets. Due to its rarity, there’s no testing for it in the area. Veterinarians would have to find research centres or labs and send swabs for testing.
Dube suggests pet owners who have come down with H1N1 protect their pets the same way they would other humans from it–hand washing and care with coughing and sneezing are some of the suggested ways.
The H1N1 virus has also affected pigs in North America and turkeys in Chile and Canada.
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Tags: dr michael dube, fairfield animal hospital, h1n1 in pets, swine flu
