|
|
In Germany cats have started to die from the bird's flu
|
Strain of the bird's flu has been found in the corpse of the cat in the north of Germany, Associated Press informs. Presence of a virus has been confirmed by the laboratory of the Friedrich Loeffler institute.
It is the first case in Germany when the virus of the bird's flu has been found not in a bird. The corpse of the animal has been found on the island Rjugen where more than 100 birds were infected with virus H5N1.
The first messages that viruses of the bird's flu such as H5N1 are dangerous for cats appeared in 2004. Then in the Thai zoo three ordinary cats, a leopard and a tiger were infected by sick birds. The only tiger survived.
If your cat has caught a bird, German veterinaries advice, immediately take your pet to a vet for a check, and take it only in rubber gloves. Germans do not trust gloves. Some owners try to place their pets in shelters. Such turn of events promises nothing good for cats, but as to people, in experts' opinion people shouldn't panic yet. The main danger will be if pigs, animals which are close to humans on physiology catch a virus. In their organism a mixture of an ordinary and bird's flu could take place and a new pandemic virus could be formed.
|
|
|
