Are you sick of all this swine flu talk? Ribsy and Mirabel certainly are. However, they must admit that they are concerned as to whether it's possible that dogs and cats and other animals can fall victim to this flu virus.
Fortunately to date, there appears to be no information that says that pets can contract swine flu.
- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the virus "appears to present a low risk of infecting cats and dogs."
- The American Veterinary Medical Association is in agreement that "there is no evidence that pets are susceptible to this new strain of influenza."
- Sharon Hietala, a professor at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, headquartered at University of California, Davis, said that the H1N1 influenza viruses “have never been shown to transmit to dogs and cats.”
Whew, thought Ribsy and Mirabel. So far so good.
Of course, as developments occur rapidly, however, that could all change. It's best to keep up with the latest updates from sources such as the Public Health Agency of Canada, the World Health Organization, and the Center for Disease Control.
