Is canine influenza similar to the H1N1 influenza virus?
No. There is a separate strain of influenza that dogs can catch from other dogs called Canine Influenza H3N8. People cannot catch the Canine H3N8 Influenza virus and there is a vaccine that is available for dogs. Can my pet be vaccinated against H1N1? No. There is no vaccine created for pets against this virus. Human vaccines cannot safely be used on pets. What symptoms would I see in my cat if it developed H1N1 influenza infection? Symptoms are expected to be mild and include loss of appetite, fever, lethargy, sneezing, nasal discharge and coughing. Please note that there are many more common infections that can cause these same symptoms in cats and other pets. Can I catch H1N1 influenza from my pet? At the moment there are no reports of any person contracting the H1N1 virus from a pet. Nevertheless, pet owners should take simple precautions to prevent transmission of the virus, especially if your pet is ill. See below. Can animals catch this virus from each other? Currently, there ar
