Can Your Dog Get Swine Flu?
The swine flu is on everyone’s mind these days. On the news you hear daily reports about the concern there will be a big outbreak this fall.
If you’ve been wondering if there is anything to worry about when it comes to your pets Bobbi Leder from the Houston Dogs Examiner checked with the American Veterinary Medical Association, here’s what she found.
Well, according to the AVMA, there is no evidence that pets are susceptible to the swine flu as it appears to be transmitted only from person to person or from human to swine. So for now, it looks like dogs are safe from the swine flu although the AVMA goes on to say that there is not enough information to determine if the H1N1 virus can be transmitted to other animals; therefore, it is advisable to wash your hands after handling animals. The good news is that there have been no reported cases (in 2009) of the swine flu being contracted by eating pork. It is believed that the H1N1 virus is not a food-borne disease.
Hopefully this gives some peace of mind to all the dog owners out there. While we still need to be careful, at least our dogs are safe.
* Shilo Ann checking out the pig pen, no worries.
The article above is misleading. It states to wash your hands after touching your pets versus washing your hands before you touch your pets. Also, H1N1 a/k/a Swine Flu is person to person. Not pig to person. See CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/
You cannot catch the H1N1 from eating Pork. Not now and not ever.
It’s amazing to me how quickly
mis-information spreads faster and sticks than the truth does. Then it seems harder to changes minds to the truth once mis-information spreads. We humans are a strange breed indeed!
Maya a/k/a Julie,
It seems you did NOT thoroughly read the article. It clearly states that the swine flu is NOT a food-borne illness. It also does NOT state that it is transmitted from swine to human, but rather can be transmitted from human to swine – as was the case in Canada.
The AVMA states that hands should be washed AFTER coming in contact with animals, just as it is advised to do so when visiting a petting zoo.