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Been worried about West Nile Virus in your Pet?
According to the CDC there is good news for dog and cat owners!! West Nile virus does not appear to cause extensive illness in dogs or cats. Results of 2007 show of 507 reported cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) disease among nonhuman mammals, 471 (93%) occurred in equines, and 36 (7%) occurred in other species (squirrels [27], canines [five], and unspecified species [four]). Equine cases were reported from 320 counties in 35 states and Puerto Rico; Texas reported 20% of all equine cases. The number of reported WNV-infected equines peaked in mid-August.
In addition, there is no documented evidence of person-to-person or animal-to-person transmission of WNV virus. Because WNV virus is transmitted by infectious mosquitoes, dogs or cats could be exposed to the virus in the same way humans become infected. Veterinarians should take normal infection control precautions when caring for an animal suspected to have this or any viral infection. It is possible that dogs and cats could become infected by eating dead infected animals such as birds, but this is undocumented.
I recently spoke with my vet, Dr Katherine Borrett and she recommended bringing in your pets at dusk & dawn when mosquitoes are the most active. She also stated that a light spray of fly/insect repellent is ok for pets – “you don’t want to saturate them, but if its marked safe for people then its safe for pets.” Ms Borrett said that the season usually peaks in August/September for cases of WVN, although there has been one confirmed equine case in Davis Co. so far this year.
West Nile Virus and Dogs and Cats – FAQ’s
Q. Can West Nile virus (WNV) cause illness in dogs or cats?
A. Experimentally infected dogs* showed no symptoms after infection with WNV. Some infected cats exhibited mild, nonspecific symptoms during the first week after infection–for the most part only showing a slight fever and slight lethargy. It is unlikely that most pet owners would notice any unusual symptoms or behavior in cats or dogs that become infected with WNV.
Q. How can my veterinarian treat my cat or dog if they are/may be infected with WNV?
A. There is no specific treatment for WNV infection. Full recovery from the infection is likely. Treatment would be supportive (managing symptoms, if present) and consistent with standard veterinary practices for animals infected with a viral agent.
Q. Does my dog/cat becoming infected pose a risk to the health of my family or other animals?
A. There is no documented evidence of dog or cat-to-person transmission of West Nile virus. The evidence suggests that dogs do not develop enough virus in their bloodstream to infect more mosquitoes. Cats develop slightly higher levels of virus in their bloodstream, but it is unclear if this would be enough to infect mosquitoes. It is very unlikely that cats would be important in furthering the spread of the virus. *
If your animal becomes infected with WNV, this suggests that there are infected mosquitoes in your area. You should take measures to prevent mosquitoes from biting you (use repellent and wear protective clothing.)
Veterinarians should take normal infection control precautions when caring for any animal (Including birds) suspected to have this or any viral infection.
Q. How do cats and dogs become infected with West Nile virus?
A. Dogs and cats become infected when bitten by an infected mosquito. There is also evidence that cats can become infected with the virus after eating experimentally infected mice. *
Q. Can I become infected with WNV if a dog with the virus bites me?
A. Preliminary studies have not been able to detect virus in the saliva of infected dogs. This suggests that dog bites pose a low risk, if any, of transmission of WNV from dogs to other animals or people.
Q. Is there a vaccine for cats or dogs?
A. No.
Q. Should a dog or cat infected with West Nile virus be destroyed?
A. No. There is no reason to destroy an animal just because it has been infected with West Nile virus. Full recovery from the infection is likely. Treatment would be supportive and consistent with standard veterinary practices for animals infected with a viral agent.
Q. Can I use insect repellent on my pets?
A. DEET-based repellents, which are recommended for humans, are not approved for veterinary use (largely because animals tend to ingest them by licking.) Talk with your veterinarian for advice about the appropriate product for use on your pet.
Since there are an estimated 68 million companion dogs and 73 million pet cats in the United States alone, evaluating their response to WNV infection, assessing their potential to serve as amplifying hosts for this virus, and obtaining some estimate of the clinical consequences of infection are important concerns. There are some natural alternatives, see
Natural Cat Lover?s Gift Basket
They have conducted experiments with domestic animals – to see the results of one CDC sanctioned study:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol10no1/02-0616.htm
Birds
West Nile virus has been detected in dead birds of at least 326 species. Although birds, particularly crows and jays, infected with WN virus can die or become ill, most infected birds do survive. There is no evidence that a person can get WN virus from handling live or dead infected birds, but it is recommended that persons should avoid bare-handed contact when handling any dead animals. Use gloves or double plastic bags to place the bird carcass in a garbage bag or contact their local health department for guidance.
Horses
West Nile virus (WNV) has impacted thousands of horses since 1999, with some regions reporting over 30% of the horse cases dying or euthanized due to poor prognosis. There are currently two vaccines approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for use in horses. A summary of West Nile cases in horses can be found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahss/equine/wnv/2008_equine_west_nile_virus_final.pdf Fortunately Utah had no confirmed cases last year.
