AVMA Archives - i Still Love Dogs

Dog Flu Spreads to 12 States across the US

The epidemic H3N2 canine flu virus continues to spread across the United States. Cases were recently reported in Texas and Georgia, and according to Cornell University, the flu has been confirmed in 10 other states: Illinois (more than 1,500 dogs have been infected in the Chicago area); Alabama; California; Indiana; Iowa; New York; Massachusetts; Michigan; New Jersey; and Wisconsin.

Most at risk for becoming infected are puppies, older dogs and dogs with weakened immune systems. While most dogs recover within 10 to 30 days, some have developed serious issues, such as pneumonia. Six dogs have died from H3N2.

People cannot get this flu from their dogs, but the H3N2 virus can be transmitted to cats. So far, no cats have been diagnosed with this flu strain.

“The virus spreads from nose to nose (or direct) contact between dogs,” Keith Poulsen, a professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told USA TODAY. “As people travel and expose dogs to other dogs with the virus, they will bring the virus back to their hometown. This is how the virus has spread from the Chicago area to Wisconsin, Iowa and Texas. Similar to how respiratory disease spreads at a daycare or airport — people sneezing and coughing on each other.”

Click here for tips on preventing your dog from getting the H3N2 virus.

Photo credit: Tony Alter

AVMA Announces New Guidelines on Ebola and Pets

Anyone with known exposure to Ebola should have their pets quarantined for 21 days or have someone else care for them during that period, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) announced yesterday.

The AVMA began working on guidelines for treating the pets of Ebola patients last month, after Excalibur, the dog belonging to Madrid nurse Teresa Romero, who had tested positive for Ebola, was euthanized by health officials — despite a public outcry to quarantine the dog instead. (Romero has now filed a lawsuit for about $188,000.)

When Dallas nurse Nina Pham became infected with Ebola, her dog, Bentley, was quarantined for 21 days and found to be free of the virus. Pham, who is also now Ebola free, was reunited with Bentley on Nov. 1.

“The development of this guidance was a long process due to its novel and complex nature, as well as the lack of scientific data on Ebola and companion animals currently available,” according to an AVMA press release.

Developed in conjunction with health experts and agencies including the USDA and CDC, the AVMA’s new recommendations are intended to provide guidance for public health officials on how to assess, handle and monitor pets that may have been exposed to Ebola.

“There have been no reports of dogs or cats becoming sick with Ebola virus or of being able to spread Ebola to people or other animals,” notes one of the two new AVMA documents, Interim Guidance for Public Health Officials on Pets of Ebola Virus Disease Contacts. “However, it is important to keep people and animals away from blood or body fluids of a person with symptoms of Ebola infection.”

The other new document, Interim Guidance for Dog or Cat Quarantine After Exposure to a Human with Confirmed Ebola Virus Disease, recommends that pets who came into contact with a person with Ebola must be assessed for exposure and may be placed in mandatory quarantine for at least 21 days. “This situation can be avoided if the pet is moved out of the residence of the person being monitored for Ebola before any symptoms start in the person,” according to the AVMA.

Resources for pet parents, veterinarians and health officials are available on the AVMA website’s Ebola Virus page.

Photo via USA TODAY

More Dogs’ Lives Will Be Saved Thanks to New Federal Law

On Friday, President Obama signed into law the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act of 2014, which “ensures that veterinarians who treat animals caught in disasters, pulled from puppy mills or animal fighting rings, or otherwise located in remote areas may legally transport, administer, and dispense medicines without fear of violating federal regulations,” according to the ASPCA.

The new law enhances and clarifies the existing Controlled Substances Act of 1970, which prohibited veterinarians from transporting the drugs they needed to euthanize, anesthetize or manage pain in animals across state lines or away from where the vets were registered to do business.

The bill was introduced in the House by the only two representatives who are veterinarians: Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Ted Yoho (R-FL). It was introduced in the Senate by Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Angus King (I-ME). It passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate.

Schrader was motivated to sponsor the bill after rural veterinarians who treated large animals and used their residential address as their primary place of business began getting notices from the DEA in 2012, warning that they were violating the Controlled Substances Act.

“Today is a victory for veterinarians across this country, but more importantly, it’s a victory for the health and well-being of the animals they are entrusted to care for,” Rep. Schrader said in a statement when the bill was passed by Congress on July 8.

“Ridiculous bureaucratic interference from the DEA would have seriously impeded veterinarians’ ability to properly treat their patients. The Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act will provide veterinarians with the certainty they need to continue to providing mobile or ambulatory services for their animal patients.”

Prompted by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), thousands of vets sent letters to Congress in support of the bill.

“This commonsense legislation will allow veterinarians the ability to provide complete care to their animal patients beyond their clinics,” the AVMA stated.

Photo credit: Tony Alter