pulled from AOL news and written by Michael Crumb
Swine Flu Confirmed in Pet Cat
DES MOINES, Iowa (Nov. 4) — A 13-year-old Iowa cat has been infected with swine flu, veterinary and federal officials said Wednesday in what is believed to be the first case of the H1N1 virus in a feline in the United States.
The domestic shorthaired cat was treated last week at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames and has recovered, officials said. The virus also has been confirmed in two ferrets — one in Oregon and the other in Nebraska — but they died.
“We’ve known certainly it’s possible this could happen,” said Centers for Disease Control spokesman Tom Skinner. “This may be the first instance where we have documentation that transmission occurred involving cats or dogs.”
Tags: animal blog, cat, federal officials, flu, H1N1, swine flu, transmission, united states, veterinary, Whales & Friends
