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The H3N2 virus, which was responsible for infecting a large number of dogs in the Midwest last year, appears to be transmittable to cats as well. The Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Wisconsin has confirmed that the virus has infected a group of cats in the region.
“Suspicions of an outbreak in the cats were initially raised when a group of them displayed unusual signs of respiratory disease,” Continue Reading
The canine influenza virus (CIV) that has affected at least 1,000 dogs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana in the last month, resulting in five canine deaths, may also be a danger for cats. Previously thought to be caused by the H3N8 strain, which has been circulating in North America since 2004, recent tests from the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL) and the New York State Animal Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell University have identified the strain as H3N2.Continue Reading
With flu season upon us, it’s time to think about boosting your immune system so you don’t get sick. And if you need even more incentive to stay healthy this winter, consider this: it turns out that humans can give the flu to cats.
The first case of a cat getting the flu from humans was identified in 2009, when the H1N1 (swine flu) strain was identified in a cat in Iowa. Since then, there have been a handful of other cases of the flu being passed from humans to cats, dogs or ferrets. Veterinary researchers at Oregon State University and Iowa State University are working to find more cases of this type of disease transmission and better understand any risks they pose to people and pets.
Even though this phenomenon appears to be rare, it’s something to be aware of if you get sick this winter.
If your cat were to get the flu, Continue Reading