If you get sick, protect your pets too... Already 2
pet ferrets and a pet cat confirmed with H1N1 in the US. "reminding pet
owners that some viruses can pass between people and animals, so this was not
an altogether unexpected event. Pet owners should monitor their pets' health
very closely, no matter what type of animal, and visit a veterinarian if there
are any signs of illness". Finally, a step in the right direction but then they virtually take it back on
a different page. "Based on the evidence available at this time, the infections were spread
from humans to the animals." Some inferring and many saying outright that the reverse is a virtual if not
complete impossibility. Personally, I think that's utter hooey and I wish
both the human and veterinary medical fields would stop working off that
presumption and start actually trying to collect science on zoonotic
transmission (or at least open their eyes and ears to the evidence directly before them). How about just starting with asking pet owners how many of
them have gotten a "cold" before or after a pet had similar
symptoms? Better yet, how many pet owners have been ill with overlap to a
pet illness with differing symptoms? Doesn't it go without saying that the
same virus, bacteria could cause differing symptoms in different species?
At any rate, H1N1 is now confirmed in pigs pretty much worldwide. Turkey on this side of the globe, 2 pet ferrets
in the US, and a house cat
in the US.
I'll bet odds on a pet dog being confirmed with H1N1 within 2 weeks and
confirmation of pet to human transmission by end of season if they do objective
analysis (but not betting money on that objective part, haven't seen much of it
in the scientific fields myself :).
It’s come up a bit on Dolittler where I’ve been essentially called one of those “out there, internet crazies” from time to time. Let’s see. Pooh-pooh, it’s just another flu virus, no big deal from the comments last April.
In August, Dr. Khuly says: “Regardless, the biggest threat on the horizon is not to your cat or dog, it’s about our birds… In fact, cat and dog owners reading this should be breathing a sigh of relief. Our most commonly kept pets are safe from the strain currently making the rounds… Here’s hoping we can all keep things in perspective…” And the first comment: “It's always nice to hear a voice of reason in the midst of all the paranoia about the swine flu. Yes, these mutating viruses are scary, but at the same time, it behooves all of us, and especially the media, to present the science behind them, and not the hype and apocalyptic visions of epidemics. And it IS nice to know that our cats and dogs are safe!” Oops! Not so much!
And just the middle of October: “Don’t sweat it on the animal front … not yet, anyway.” (And they wonder why I get frustrated sometimes over on Dolittler and blow a fuse :)
Um, sometimes we “internet crazies” are just ahead of the curve :) We can see more of the evidence, are not limited to tunnel vision, nor having to wait for the kind of absolute proof that may well never come for a variety of reasons or, if it does exist, will be way too late to be of much help. We’re not usually constrained to the group think of professions either; no need to wait for consensus or even a tide shift before speaking our minds.
I have to wonder how many pets have/will suffer from H1N1 since the pooh-poohing is so widespread at this point. Even the corrections and updates are coming with “but dogs haven’t gotten it yet”, inference being “we weren’t completely wrong”. Could y’all curb the defensiveness in favor of some proactive warnings that confirmation of H1N1 is far more likely now? Emphasis on prevention rather than retrospective CYA? PLEASE???
Downplaying the chances of illness is every bit as wrong as hyping it. Maybe we'd have fewer epidemics if medical professionals would suspend their disbelief just a wee bit in light of growing evidence that their disbelief is poorly founded. How many vaccines, how many drugs for chronic illness, how many walking wounded before you guys get that you’re creating a sickly world with your reactive nonsense; with your utter refusal to look at the science and question presumptions handed down that are based on little or no actual science to begin with? Too little, too late just don’t cut it!
PJB (happily one of the paranoid who’s already been protecting my pets and myself from exposure for months, despite the downplaying and pooh-poohing by the “professionals” and wanna-be types)