**Picture courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention**
We have all been bombarded with stories about the Ebola outbreak over the past few weeks, but there has not been a lot of discussion about the risks that this deadly virus poses to our pets. In addition, whether or not our pets, specifically dogs, can carry or pass the virus on to us has not been well addressed.
From what we can discern at this time, there seems to be limited concern about dogs passing the Ebola virus to people as the likelihood of a dog contracting the virus outside of the endemic regions in Africa is very unlikely. It is spread through bodily secretions, so a dog would have to be exposed to the bodily fluids of a person that has the virus and is showing clinical signs. There is, however, evidence that dogs can be infected with the virus but it doesn’t appear that they develop disease as a result. We currently have no good studies about the transmission of disease from people to dogs or dogs to people. Overall, given the current situation with Ebola in North America, the chances of dogs becoming ill with the virus, or transmitting the virus to humans, is quite low. The most important thing for pet owners and pet caregivers to do is stay aware and up to date on all of the latest information about the virus to help to ensure that their families and pets stay protected. We will post any new information as it becomes available, and as always, you can call us with any questions you may have about the health and well-being of your pets!
Please read the full article written by Dr. Scott Weese below for the most up to date information!
http://www.cliniciansbrief.com/article/ebola-virus-dogs-where-do-we-stand
