May
29
2010
Can Pets and Animals get Swine flu?
Posted by: Alan in dog flu treatment, tags: animals, pets, swine
i have 2 cats and 2 dogs and im from cornwall/canada. the swine flu is really bad here. a little girl who i knew just died and its freaky. so i wanted to know if pets can get it too?
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May 29th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Yes
May 29th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
birds, pigs and humans..that’s it.
May 29th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Hunter P,
The obvious first mention must be of the pig. Analysis of the current swine-origin H1N1 influenza A virus suggests that transmission to humans occurred several months before recognition of the existing outbreak. Results show that this strain has been circulating among pigs, possibly among multiple continents, for many years prior to its transmission to humans. Research done by Roongroje Thanawongnuwech of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, found that all the 22-day-old infected animals, involved in the study, were shedding virus two days after infection. The pigs were infected with both the H1N1 strain of swine flu and the less dangerous H3N2 subtype. He said “The course of infection was limited to less than a week and none of the animals died.” Several animal species are susceptible to influenza or flu viruses — birds, ferrets, pigs, marine mammals and horses,” said Kathy Connell, a veterinarian with Foxglove Consulting in Olympia, Wash, but their viruses rarely spread to humans, a variety of animals suffer from their own strains of influenza. Although there have only been a small number of canine cases, dogs were added in the last few years to the list of animals that have contracted influenza. Bird flu has garnered the most attention in recent years because of its transmission to humans in Asia. While many have feared that avian influenza could become the next pandemic, it has not yet mutated into a form that can spread from human to human.
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It is extremely important to obtain an accurate diagnosis before trying to find a cure. Many diseases and conditions share common symptoms.
The information provided here should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.
Hope this helps
matador 89
May 29th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Slim chance. I have not heard of transmission of any of the swine serotypes of flu to cats or dogs. There were lab experiments attempting to infect cats with H3N2 (human), H7N3 (turkey) and H7N7 (seal) viruses and did not get great results. However the cats got infected with H5N1 avian virus and recently there was a report of fatal influenza in tigers and leopards (they are cats too) from H5N1 strain. They got it by consuming raw chicken meat. But this strain is extremely rare and only present in Asia. No reports of H1N1 infections at all.
Regarding dogs, until recently there was nothing like canine influenza until 2004 when Greyhounds fed with horse meat got infected with equine (horse) influenza (type H3N8). The risk for dogs is also extremely low.
So, in theory cats and dogs may get influenza, but very unlikely that it would be H1N1 swine strain. So there is no real reason to worry. and please do not feed your pets raw horse or chicken meat. I f you don’t do it you are safe.
May 29th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Possible, but unlikely.
A big part of the reason the swine flu is so dangerous is it recently crossed over from pigs into humans, so humans are not used to it yet.
It is difficult for a flu virus to leap from one species to another, and it is often extremely “noncontagious” when it is in a species it is not well adapted to.
It is theoretically possible the swine flu could make the leap into dogs. It is theoretically possible a regular human flu virus could. There is no reason to believe swine flu would be any more dangerous to a dog than regular flu…both would be equally unfamiliar to it.
So far, there is no evidence any dog has caught swine flu:
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/10/20/2009-10-20_could_your_pet_pig_get_swine_flu_maybe_experts_say.html
http://vetmedicine.about.com/b/2009/09/18/can-my-dog-or-cat-get-swine-flu.htm