Thanksgiving Cats + Dogs :: h1n1 in cat:: Veterinary news + tips

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

'Tis the season for friends, family and holiday feasts - but also for possible distress for our animal companions. Pets won't be so thankful if they munch on undercooked turkey or a pet-unfriendly floral arrangement, or if they stumble upon an unattended alcoholic drink.

Check out the following tips from ASPCA experts for a fulfilling Thanksgiving that your pets can enjoy, too.

Talkin' Turkey If you decide to feed your pet a little nibble of turkey, make sure it's boneless, white meat, and well-cooked. Poultry bones can easily splinter and can lacerate your pet's mouth or throat or obstruct your pets' insides. Don't offer her raw or undercooked turkey, which may contain salmonella bacteria.

Sage Advice Sage can make your Thanksgiving stuffing taste delicious, but it and many other herbs contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal upset and central nervous system depression to pets. Cats are especially sensitive to the effects of certain essential oils. Onions and onion powder, widely found in stuffing, will destroy your dog's or cat's red blood cells, which can lead to anemia.

No Bread Dough Don't spoil your pet's holiday by giving him raw bread dough. According to ASPCA experts, when raw bread dough is ingested, an animal's body heat causes the dough to rise in his stomach. As it expands, the pet may experience vomiting, severe abdominal pain and bloating, which could become a life-threatening emergency, requiring surgery.

Don't Let Them Eat Cake If you're baking up Thanksgiving cakes, be sure your pets keep their noses out of the batter, especially if it includes raw eggs - they could contain salmonella bacteria that may lead to food poisoning. Grapes, raisins, and macadamia nuts contain a toxin that can cause kidney damage to both dogs and cats.

Too Much of a Good Thing A few small boneless pieces of cooked turkey, a taste of mashed potato or even a lick of pumpkin pie shouldn't pose a problem. However, don't allow your pets to overindulge, as they could wind up with pancreatitis or gastroenteritis, two medical conditions that can be very painful and even life threatening. In fact, it's best keep pets on their regular diets during the holidays.

A Feast Fit for a Kong While the humans are chowing down, give your cat and dog their own little feast. Offer them Nylabones or made-for-pet chew bones. Or stuff their usual dinner - perhaps with a few added tidbits of turkey, vegetables (try sweet potato or green beans) and dribbles of gravy - inside a Kong toy. They'll be happily occupied for awhile, working hard to extract their dinner from the toy.

H1N1 flu confirmed in Iowa cat

"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.

To protect your pets, experts suggest taking the same precautions you would to prevent spreading the flu to other people, including getting the vaccine, wearing a mask, keeping some distance and washing your hands.

PRESS RELEASE from
The American Veterinary Medical Association

H1N1 flu confirmed in Iowa cat

Schaumburg, IL

- A cat in Iowa has tested positive for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, state officials confirmed this morning, marking the first time a cat has been diagnosed with this strain of influenza.

The cat, which has recovered, is believed to have caught the virus from someone in the household who was sick with H1N1. There are no indications that the cat passed the virus on to any other animals or people.

Prior to this diagnosis, the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus had been found in humans, pigs, birds and ferrets.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) are 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.

The AVMA is actively tracking all instances of H1N1 in animals and posting updates on the AVMA Web site.

For more information, contact Michael San Filippo, AVMA media relations assistant, at 847-285-6687 (office), 847-732-6194 (cell), or msanfilippo AT avma.org.