I just read today that H1N1 has been confirmed for the first time in a CAT!

While I was at the vet this week they had a warning posted on their bulletin board saying that it has already been shown to cross over to ferrets, pigs and birds. There have been outbreaks in pork farms and turkey farms. Not much of a stretch to be transmissible to our beloved pets, like parrots and pot bellied pigs.

So if you or a family member becomes ill, even if it isn't confirmed as H1N1, it would be best to practice good animal husbandry. All the same rules for avoiding trasmission between people would apply to keeping our pets safe.

I read that, too. Be careful!

Very scary

Oh man thats very scary! Im gonna be like those people who cough and run to emergency room only when I cough I will avoid my precious animals!

While we're all trying to be cautious, yet stifle our fears, Another Reason To Fear.

Ok, now i am afraid to take the birds out of the house to get groomed. Son of a ********

When does H1N1 season end?

Between Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, The season doesn't really end!!!

Just pay attention to personal hygiene, and hope for the best.

Yes this is a serious issue, but I think "The Media", again, has blown it way out of proportion.

If you think you have flue etc. maybe wear a mask. Pico would probably go crazy if I wore a mask.

Here is a link to the story http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/WireStory...6178&page=1
They just don't know enough to say how dangerous this is to our pets.

Sigrid

Just freakin' great! I already wash my hands 100 times a day, my skin is starting to peel off.

I didn't mean to alarm anyone. Just making you aware. I haven't changed my behavior much. I always wash my hands regularly at work or when out in public. And I try really hard not to touch my face with my hands if they're not clean. At home, as long as I'm healthy, I don't worry at all.

I just point it out cause this is the first time I remember pets being suseptible to infection from a human virus. This thing has adapted to cross into birds, swine, humans, and now felines. Thats pretty scary. So far it's not super virulent of deadly, but look at the panic it has caused due to, yes, the media. It's crazy. Is it serious? You bet. Am I paranoid to the point of lining up for 6 hours (or even one) to get a vacination? NO! Just being careful and trying to be smart.

Be safe and healthy my friends.

I also won't line up 6 hours for the vaccine.
And I don't want to alarm anyone either.
BUT...this is what I read in our paper today:

"Scott Weese, an expert in zoonotic diseases at the University of Guelph said...pets are part of the household microbiologically, not just socially."
Then: "Pet birds and pet potbellied pigs would be the next ones I'd be worried about because we know that these are susceptible to influenza."

I won't panic. But I know if I have company, and a bird sneezes...they'll run for the door.

Sigrid

That's craziness!!! Thanks for the heads up though, Ron. I wouldn't even of thought it would be transferable to the birds.

The only one of my pets I'm actually worried about is my cat, Maxx, who appears to have an auto-immune issue.

I think I've finally come down with H1N1 (I teach, so it was a matter of time). It sucks, but its just the flu. Now to baby myself and weather the storm.

Screw the swine flu. People are going out of their minds let me tell you something that happened to me this weeken at my teaching job.

My students mother asked me if I was sick. I said yes I have a cold. I actually got the cold as a reaction to the flu shot (regular). Anyway before I had this cold I had another cold becuase I was outside in a strapless gown at my sisters wedding taking pictures. Yeah so I got sick.

My students mother said: "Becuase you had one cold and now another you could have the swine flu." She said I should get checked out. Then she asked me if I had any wipes on me. I had purell and so they wanted some. She litterally got me in a panic.

Then her niece was with her and she said that her niece had the swine flut a few weeks ago. I said: "how did the doctor diagnose her." She said: "Well she had what you had and the doctor said that it was probably swine" No test to comfirm or anything so she might have not had the swine flu. She probably didn't.

I am just saying that people are making a bigger deal of the swine flu than it actually is.

Take your vitimins, wash your hands and you'll be fine for th emost part.

The difference between flu and a regular cold is among other things, a high fever and a caugh. Sniffing and sneezing are not usually part of it.
My husband is a teacher as well. One teacher in his department had swine flu, and she was sick for over a week. She still isn't well. Teachers here are not considered high risk groups, so teachers can't even get the vaccine yet.


Sigrid

Hi Everyone,

As most of you know I was quite ill from the end of September till the middle of October <sigh>.

I've spent the better part of my time in doctor's and the ER.

The ER doctor said he was almost positive the "flu" I'd had for the better part of 2 weeks was not standard issue flu, but H1N1.

Then my own doctor said the same thing a few weeks after that.

I avoided the fids the whole time I was sick because I'd read an article online about birds getting sick when their caregivers had flu.

I've been battling an acute respiratory infection left behind by the flu for over a month now, and it's still not gone
I've also been dealing with having a stranger's voice.. due to all the dry coughing I did for 3 weeks, my voice is still raspy and it still comes and goes. Thank goodness the doctor says in time everything will heal and I'll have my own dulcet tone back

My bones felt like they were going to shatter any time I moved them, and even while not moving. It was BRUTAL!!!!

Not once during the whole time I was sick did I have a runny nose or cold type symptoms.

I did have the horrible joint pain and all over aches, vomiting, diarhea, chills, high fever, vicious headaches, was extremely tired all the time, and had a lot of trouble with my breathing.. it felt like a whole football team was sitting on my chest.

When I had to feed the fiddo's I wore gloves and an N95 respirator mask (the birds were NOT impressed)..I washed with antibacterial soap before and after doing anything relating to the boys. I think I took better care at avoiding them catching anything than I did myself.

I'm not ashamed to admit that their cages were less than spotless for the first week, because I was just too sick to clean them, and nobody was willing to be anywhere near me during the duration of the sickness..can't say I blame them lol.

During the 2nd week, a friend finally took pity on me and the fids, and came over (while I stayed at the opposite end of the apt) to clean out their cages for me. Thank God for wonderful friends

Anyways.. I know the media has gone wild with the whole pandemic H1N1 thing, but having been sick with it and dealing with the aftermath.. well let's just say I wish I'd taken it a lot more seriously than I did.

I work in a restaurant, and we get all the sick people that are "ahem" too sick to make something to eat at home (not to sick to go out and spread their various illnesses to everyone they come in contact with though). I thought I was being diligent, but I clearly missed washing and using sanitizer somewhere in there.

I guess I just hope everyone on here is taking care of themselves, and if you are sick .. for goodness sake stay at home and get better

I know a few members have been sick with the "flu" recently, and I'm wondering how many had the H1N1 in a milder form and didn't even realize it.

Well.. off to have a nap lol..

take care all my Parront friends

hugs (I'm not contagious now hahahhaaha)
Deb

Deb, I am so sorry that you cought it. I knew you had the flu but didn't know itwas H1N1. I am not saying that it is nonsense but the media does a good job at scaring people.

If I catch I am in deep doo doo as my little niece is at our house 40 hours a week and if she gets sick then that would be bad. She is only 2. Then there is my mother who panicks when I get a cold so if I get H1N1, I may have relocate to the garage or soemthing. So I hope I don't get it.

Hi Jennifer

Nice to hear from you ...it's been too long <giggle>.

no no .. I wasn't saying anyone was saying it was nonsense or silly or anything like that.. Quite the contrary.. guess I'm still a little fuzzy on making myself clear

I actually didn't think it was that big a deal and believed the media was making it sound a lot worse than it was.. not the illness itself but rather the way it was affecting so many people so fast. Does that make sense??? Gee.. I even have a hard time understanding me, and I know what I'm trying to say

Keep taking your vitamins and taking care of youself..that is the best anyone can do outside of being extra careful of avoiding anyone that is sick. Use the hand sanitizer anywhere it is available too hehehehe.

If your little niece is there and you get sick, you and the girls can come here
Of course you will be banned to the back bedroom, while I take care of our fiddo's <evil grin>. But we'd make sure we took good care of you

You can't get sick for a while though ok.. I have to get rid of the friends the virus left behind to keep me company first

later Tater
hugs
Deb