At the time of this writing, there are two epidemics spreading throughout the globe: Ebola and Ebola hysteria. While some pet parents have asked if they should be concerned about Ebola as it relates to their pets, I swore I was not going to write an article on this topic. I told my wife there was too much hype. I was not going feed the fear-mongering beast. Surely by setting an example of calm and composure, the veterinary community could help ensure that cooler heads prevailed.
On Oct. 8, a 12-year-old dog named Excalibur was euthanized by health officials in Spain. His owner was a nurse who had contracted Ebola while caring for one of her patients. Her husband broke down and wept when health officials gave the order. I don’t blame him. The case made me angry, and I’m still angry. So here it is, the article I swore I would never write.
Why all the fear?
In 2005, a French research team conducted the only scientific study to date on the Ebola virus in dogs. Their test subjects were dogs living in the vicinity of the 2001-2002 outbreak in Gabon. Clinical signs of Ebola were not observed in any of the dogs in the study, nor have scientists in Africa seen dogs manifesting clinical signs during the current outbreak. In other words, none of the dogs got sick. Some of the dogs in the 2005 study, however, tested positive for Ebola antibodies. The presence of antibodies suggests a history of some sort of exposure to the disease. From there, scientists began to wonder if dogs could transmit Ebola to humans, without getting sick themselves.
How is Ebola transmitted?
In a statement released just last week, the Center for Disease Control reiterated the ways in which the Ebola virus is transmitted. The virus spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids (including, but not necessarily limited to urine, sweat, semen, feces, saliva, vomit or breast milk) of a person who is sick from the virus. Such fluids would have to make contact with broken skin or mucous membranes (such as those found in the eyes, nose or mouth) in order to cause infection in another person. Contaminated needles can spread the disease as well.
So how did the dogs in the French study get exposed?
Local
It is important to note that dogs in rural West African villages do not live the same carefree lives as their American counterparts. The dogs in the study lived exclusively outdoors, and were not owned by any one family or individual. Think of them as friendly, neighborhood strays. Sometimes they were fed, other times they had to fend for themselves. They were regularly observed feeding and scavenging from the carcasses of animals and humans that had died of the Ebola virus. Let that last part sink in a little: dogs who tested positive for Ebola antibodies fed on the corpses of animals and humans who died from Ebola. Sorry for the mental picture. Hence another reason I did not want to write this article - there’s just no way to present this material without invoking the queasies.
Are American dogs and cats at risk?
According to the CDC, “The risk of an Ebola outbreak affecting multiple people in the United States is very low. Therefore, the risk to pets is also very low, as they would have to come into contact with blood and body fluids of a person with Ebola.”
Scientists are continuing to study Ebola, and the veterinary community is staying on top of their findings. We have already learned from the haste of the Spanish authorities, and handled the dog owned by an Ebola patient in Dallas much differently. We will notify pet parents as any relevant new findings emerge. For the latest information from the Florida Veterinary Medical Association, please click here. In the meantime, keep calm, and enjoy your pets!
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