A 10 year old cat named Buddy Lou has been the third cat to be confirmed with the H1N1 virus, and the first one to die of it. The veterinarians at the Lebanon Animal Clinic in Lebanon, Ore. first treated Buddy Lou for pneumonia, as he was presented with difficulty breathing, and Xrays revealed fluid accumulating in the lungs, according to an article in the Kval.com. However, since the fluid buildup was higher in the lungs than "normal," the veterinarians knew that it must be a different kind of pneumonia. The tabby cat was first brought to the clinic on November 4, and was admitted the next day when his breathing problems worsened. Despite treatment with antibiotics and oxygen therapy, Buddy Lou died on November 7th. He first became ill a week after a child in the household had flu-like symptoms.
Janet Tobiassen Crosby, D.V.M., and About.com Guide to Veterinary Medicine, gave this story her usual thorough coverage on Wednesday, November 18, 2009. Janet reported that other cats in the household had shown sneezing and coughing symptoms, but none tested positive for H1N1. I will be updating my article on H1N1 and Cats with this information.
Comments
Oh, what a shame. Poor little thing, and that poor family.