H1N1 (Swine) Flu Confirmed in Iowa Cat
For the latest news, please see the H1N1 and Animal News Archive
H1N1 and Pets
The question has been circulating for months, can dogs and cats catch the H1N1 flu? While no one could say for sure, infectious disease experts felt that dogs and cats were not as susceptible as humans, pigs, and then later turkeys and ferrets.
Today, the answer is different
It has been confirmed that a cat has caught the H1N1 virus from humans. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported that a cat became ill with H1N1 virus after 3 members of the family became ill with influenza-like symptoms on November 4, 2009.
"[A] 13-year-old indoor cat in Iowa was brought to the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, where it tested positive for the H1N1 virus. The diagnosis is the culmination of collaborative efforts between IDPH, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Center for Advanced Host Defenses, Immunobiotics and Translational Comparative Medicine, USDA, and IDALS Animal Industry Bureau." Read full report
The good news is that the cat and human family members have are recovering uneventfully. Learn more about this cat and how influenza is diagnosed.
Staying Calm
It is important not to panic. Cats, ferrets, pigs and turkeys have caught this virus from people, not the other way around.
Staying Healthy
The precautionary message is the same for pets and people: wash hands, use proper sanitation, isolate sick individuals from healthy ones, and see your doctor or veterinarian if you or your pets are ill.
Medical care for influenza viruses is supportive; rest, fluids, making sure the sick pet is willing/able to eat, and if indicated, antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections. The CDC has excellent H1N1 resources for more information about this influenza virus, in addition to information about human risk groups and antiviral medications.
News Updates:
I spoke to both the AVMA and the Iowa Department of Public Health; they do not have photos of the cat or additional details about the cat at this time, other than everyone in the household is well on their way to a full recovery from the influenza virus.
From the AVMA: The AVMA has updated their H1N1 FAQ page with the following information:
"Until recently, we had no reason to believe pets could be infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus because it is very uncommon for flu viruses to jump between species. However, on October 9, 2009, a USDA laboratory confirmed 2009/H1N1 infection in a ferret."
Related news:
- Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab Tests Pets for H1N1
Colorado State University - The Cat Who Got Swine Flu
New York Times - How to diagnose influenza in pets
From University of Guelph - Recent reports of H1N1 in a cat or pigs are likely very rare, experts say
US News and World Report - Experts say some other pets may be vulnerable
The Canadian Press - I Can Has Swine Flu? A Pet Comes Down With H1N1
Time - World first as swine flu found in US cat
AFP - Protecting Pets from Illness
Iowa Department of Public Health - Pet cat in U.S. catches swine flu
From Reuters - Ferret dies from H1N1 infection in Nebraska
From Veterinary Medicine at About.com
Photo: Negative stain EM image of the 2009 H1N1 influenza Photo Credit: C. S. Goldsmith and A. Balish, CDC
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Comments
The question sure to pop up will be if a family should vaccinate their pet along with members of their family. While it appears that the pet caught the disease from their owners, can the reverse be true. Even if it is shown that the transmission is “only” from human to pet, then like other diseases, should a family vaccinate their pet as prohylaxis to their pet.
I cannot believe that Veterinarians will go for yet ANOTHER piece of propaganda and make it compulsory to keep poisoning our pets the same way the big pharmaceutical companies are poisoning us! What a garbage piece of propaganda working only for the benefits of MONEY for all but the recipients: University research departments, Pharmaceutical industries as well as VETS.
For those who can use their brains the question is: If the vaccines are supposed to WORK i.e. protect you from getting diseases without damaging your immune system – why do we have to keep RE-VACCINATING – both people and pets? Why do people and pets that get re-vaccinated – get sick from the same diseases they are supposedly protected from – over and over again?
Find your answers folks but – my family and my pet – will NOT GET any kind of flu this winter because they eat a species appropriated diet and have immune systems to fight it – and therefore DO NOT NEED a poison called – vaccine.
S. Myers
I think I’ve seen this script before: create a panic so that the sheeple will line up for the next new vaccine. What a joke.
Feed your pet CARNIVORE a species appropriate diet and AVOID the toxins that vets continually peddle, and your pet will be healthier and will have a functioning immune system that is ABLE TO DO ITS JOB!!
How about testing the cat for h1n1 antibodies? I remain skeptical.
to the people who read Sonja Myers post:
There is not just one or two versions of the flu virus, there are thousands(just like the common cold). A flu vaccine is the weakened or dead version of a lot of the more common flu viruses. Your body will absorb or kill the weakened virus and learn how to kill the stronger one. but each year the flu changes a little and your body has to learn how to kill the new guy.
The current flu vaccine has about 40-50% of the most common flues of this year(it varies from year to year). Either its too expensive or to troublesome to kill the other viruses in large enough doses to add to the current flu shot.
so to wrap up, your not being injected with a poison and the shot will prevent a good deal of possible flu sickness this year. Its not propaganda its science.
For those who read j1c1′ comment –
SCIENCE IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT! In fact, the way it is pursued today – it is actually dangerous – like H1N1 vaccine that had not been properly tested. That is why the pharma industry asked for legal IMMUNITY in case of adverse effects and/or deaths! If the product were safe – why would the immunity be necessary?
For those who care to know FACTS … please note: H1N1 vaccine comes in two forms: LIVE VIRUS that is being misted into the nostrils of our youngsters – you watch it every night on TV – and the killed virus that is being injected – that is not available! The misted version actually SHEDS for several days INFECTING everyone in sight – which is why kiddies in day cares have the HIGHEST incident of the disease right now. How would science explain that?
How does the science explains that butter was for 10 years bad for our bodies and suddenly – 10 years later – butter replacement we were all brainwashed into taking proved to be WORSE and more damaging than the good ol’ butter?
No, science is not always right and we should not blindly trust many a false reports the “science” produces today in order to convince us to voluntarily put poisons in our bodies.
S. Myers
j1c1,
Here are some ingredients in the vaccine you say isn’t poisonous:
Common Flu Vaccine Ingredients include:
Egg protein, many are allergic to eggs
Formaldehyde- Formalyn (formalin) is a 37 percent solution of
gaseous formaldehyde which includes methanol. (Used in vaccines
as a tissue fixative) Formaldehyde solution (formalin) is considered a
hazardous compound and it is vapor toxic.
Polysorbate 80 shown to cause infertility in mice
Sodium Chloride and Calcium Chloride
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG):C5H8NNaO4, a Stabilizer MSG -
MSG intolerance: There have been numerous studies of allergies
and/or sensitivities to MSG, attributed to the free glutamic acid
component, which has been blamed for causing a wide variety of
physical symptoms such as migraines, nausea, digestive upsets,
drowsiness, heart palpitation, hair loss, asthma, anaphylactic shock,
rapidly increasing diabetes, and many other complaints.
Potassium phosphate- a soluble salt which is used as a fertilizer, a
food additive and a fungicide. It is a source of phosphorus and
potassium. It is also a buffering agent.
Thimerosal- a form of mercury still found in some multi-vile vaccines.
Polyoxidonium- Synthetic polymers and nanomaterials display
selective phenotypic effects in cells and in the body that affect signal
transduction mechanisms involved in inflammation, differentiation,
proliferation, and apoptosis. When physically mixed or covalently
conjugated with cytotoxic agents, bacterial DNA or antigens,
polymers can drastically alter specific genetically controlled
responses to these agents.
Squalene- An oil based adjuvant that has never been approved in the
US as safe, can cause blindness, autoimmune dysfunction and can
inhibit sperm production. More than two dozen peer-reviewed
scientific papers from ten different laboratories throughout the U.S.,
Europe, Asia, and Australia have been published documenting the
development of autoimmune disease in animals subjected to
2
squalene-based adjuvants. Novartis will make a flu vaccine using
MF59 consisting of Squalene, Tween 80 – A recent study (December
2005) discovered that Tween80 can cause anaphylaxis, a sometimes
fatal reaction characterized by a sharp drop in blood pressure, hives,
and breathing difficulties.
Span85 another oil
Human Diploid Tissue- organ and tissue from aborted baby tissue is
now used in manufacturing many vaccines.
Vaccines given in the past have contained H1N1 viruses; this is not a
new virus.
egg – is in everything
Formaldehyde – is in everything, 2nd hand smoke, cleaners, plastics, air from car burnoff
Polysorbate 80 – used in a lot of foods(lots of ice creams), very large doses lowered bodyweight of newborn rats
Sodium Chloride and Calcium Chloride – very common 2 types of salt
msg – found in just about every kind of shelf stable meats and used as a flavor blender in various dishes
Potassium phosphate – is a generic term for some various salts
Thimerosal – antiseptic and antifungal, pervents staph infection from medical equipment contact
Polyoxidonium – antioxidant effect, also helps to prevent the live virus from binding to living cells
Squalene – organic shark liver oil
span85 – fatty acid trademaked by corda used in foods to mix water and oil, newer version of D-Glucitol
Human Diploid Tissue – could refer to any human tissue, sense all human tissue is “Diploid” meaning has 2 sets of chromosomes
H1N1 itself means – one Hemagglutinin, one Neuraminidase which describes what it looks like and how it binds to cells. It doesnt refer to the current h1n1 virus but to the family of all h1n1 viruses. and yes its a diffrent vaccine for each version of h1n1.
It’s very easy to see from above post who is a fan of the 20 year coke head entertainer Glenn beck and who actually has an education.
Regarding the debate on vaccine safety and efficacy, and “species appropriate” pet foods:
First, regarding vaccinations it is certainly true that there are risks involved. It is also true that during the industrial revolution, the frequency and severity of many diseases decreased dramatically—without vaccines. A phenomena largely attributed to better health and increased hygeine. With that said, vaccines have had a tremendous, positive impact on health. They also represent some of the least invasive, safest forms of medicine (cf. surgery). The H1N1 vaccine is new and so clinical trials have not had a chance to examine long term effects; however, the general methodology of making vaccinations has been well studied, and in studies with a treatment and control group has repeatedly proven effective.
Regarding “species appropriate” pet food. I applaud the idea of tailored diets. I am not familiar with the “Carnivore” brand of food. A trend that bugs me about many pet foods is the claim that for dogs and cats—so called natural carnivores—meat is the best food. Generally, the only support for this claim is that it is what they ate in the wild. I have yet to find strong scientific evidence that, in fact, this is true. Numerous studies with humans have demonstrated that vegetarians, and even vegans, can be extremely healthy. This is certainly not proof that it generalizes to animals, but for many years people believed that meat was necessary for proteins in humans—simply not true. I also believe that the environment we and our pets live in today is very different from what we used to live in in the wild. For instance, in cities, outdoor cats average around a 3 year life expectancy while indoor cats average around 10 years. Certainly the decreased exercise increases risk of obesity etc., but I would rather my cat not come home wounded from fighting with another cat.
I believe it is important to be critical of scientific work. Sometimes articles are published with little support. Even more often, initial findings or correlations are misinterpretted by the media and readers as being proof of causation (i.e., people who eat blueberries live longer DOES NOT mean that eating blueberries makes you live longer. Maybe people who would live longer anyway are also drawn to blueberries).
j1c1 says: “egg – is in everything
Formaldehyde – is in everything, 2nd hand smoke, cleaners, plastics, air from car burnoff
Polysorbate 80 – used in a lot of foods(lots of ice creams), very large doses lowered bodyweight of newborn rats
Sodium Chloride and Calcium Chloride – very common 2 types of salt
msg – found in just about every kind of shelf stable meats and used as a flavor blender in various dishes”
Poison is in everything huh?? So that gives you the right to inject it in everyone?
What kind os sick argument is that???
Lead is in everything, fluoride is in everything, so lets just shoot it up!?
Listen to yourself!!
there are not many of us that are scientist.. but I know from having taken biology and chemistry in college that even people who are scientist are taught to scrutinize and not blindly except everything they are told by other “scientists”. the food supply has been irreparably contaminated by the same money hungry, power hungry pharmaceutical companys that want us all to believe that the ingredients in the vaccines are okay for us… they have ruined our food( I worked in a seed research facility owned by a drug company)so why should we trust them blindly with medicine?
The question I have in mind is, What are the possibilities of this H1N1 mutating inside a cat, ferret, or other animal? Given it has mutated enough already to jump from pigs to humans and then from humans to humans and now from humans to cats and ferrets, I think it is something worth looking into as to whether this a-H1N1 has the ability to mutate into an even more rare and thus deadly strain of flu. I welcome all comments on this.