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Pet dog recovers from H1N1
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CBC News
A dog in New York has been confirmed to have the pandemic
strain of H1N1.
The pet, a 13-year-old mixed breed, seemed to have caught
the virus from his owner, Michael San Filippo, a spokesman
for the American Veterinary Medical Association, said Tuesday.
It is the first reported case of H1N1 in a dog, but other
pets, including cats and ferrets, have caught the strain
from humans, veterinarians say.
In theory, the strain could be transmitted from a pet to a
human, "but so far it's really looking like a dead end in
pets," San Filippo said.
The dog came in for a checkup Tuesday and is "getting back
to his old self" but has not fully recovered, said veterinarian
Julie Steffens.
It is rare for pets to spread flu viruses, and people should
not be afraid to enjoy the animals, said Dr. Anne Schuchat of
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Okay, I knew that the ferret and cat had contracted the H1N1, but now I have to worry about my little man getting the Swine Flu?
Great! This comes in my email today after I have dropped Satchmo off at the vet's office for his yearly teeth cleaning and to get that ugly thing taken off his front leg. Now, I have to worry if his immune system will be depressed after this procedure and keep him away from all other dogs!
Sometimes, it just doesn't pay to be a nurse because you know too much about how these things work. The only good thing for me to focus on is that I got both flu shots and so did my sister, so the chances of him catching the "flu" from us is nil.
If it's not one thing, it is millions of others!By the way,
MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
