Cat in Iowa had H1N1; may be 1st case in dogs or cats

[Liberal_in_LA]

Cat in Iowa had H1N1; may be 1st case in dogs or cats

By Charlie Neibergall, AP
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine confirmed that a 13-year-old cat whose owners had experienced flu-like symptoms contracted H1N1 (swine) flu.

"This may be the first instance where we have documentation that transmission occurred involving cats or dogs," CDC spokesman Tom Skinner told the Associated Press.

The cat's symptoms included:

* Lethargy
* Difficulty breathing
* Loss of appetite

Though influenza is known to cross species, we've seen that less with this strain, though it's been confirmed in birds and ferrets. In fact, many veterinarians have been telling clients that transmission from humans to cats and dogs or vice versa is beyond unlikely. This cat changes that.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/pawprintpost/po...

[Divine Discontent]

1. isn't this how a mutation in the H1N1 could occur?

[Mojambo]

2. Doesn't strike me as a particularly good sign. n/t

[MagnaChucka]

3. Sounds like Outbreak.

The Dustin Hoffman movie. Creepy!

[merwin]

4. Interesting. I've got a 7 year old cat who's immune system is crap due to

an ongoing allergy to either himself, everything around him, or both since he was 2 (ran out of money for tests after the first 3k, and have been treating symptoms, keeping him from scratching his face off, and trying to make him as happy as possible). Not environmental, as we've moved about 6 times since he was born.

In any case, my family got H1N1 a month or so back and ever since he's been acting wonky, breathing a bit funny, and sitting crouched down (as opposed to laying on his side) on our bathroom rug for most of the day. We've got 10 acres where we are and up until a few weeks ago he preferred to be outside... then he hung out inside, and now he's planted himself on a rug most of the day.

I would have taken him to the vet by now as we lost a cat recently do to what resembled Pulmonary cryptococcosis from C. Gatti (we're right on the border with Vancouver, BC). Luckily we have a local vet who took us under a charity care program and covered all but about $100 from X-rays, biopsy, meds (useless at the stage he was in, as the ones that would have been effective run a total of about 10k and there was only a small chance even that would work), as well as putting him down.

Could just be that his allergy issues are just particularly bad right now, but the timing makes me wonder.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. Hope your kitty gets through it