In 2016, concerns about Zika virus became rampant among the human population, particularly among those with travel plans to certain tropical climates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued warnings against travel to these locales and informed the public that the illness is most commonly contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito, specifically the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
As cases of Zika virus were diagnosed in the United States, veterinarians were flooded with questions from worried pet owners concerning Zika virus and companion animals. Find out if Zika virus poses a threat to your pet and what you should do to keep your pet safe from mosquitoes.
What Is Zika Virus?
Zika virus is an illness that is transmitted by infected mosquitoes. An infected human experiences only mild symptoms of achiness and fever for short duration of a week or so. The bigger threat that Zika poses is to pregnant women, as the virus has caused the babies of infected women to develop microcephaly and other birth defects.
While the disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquito is indigenous to tropical climates, Zika virus has affected some areas of the United States, including Florida and New York. If Zika virus spreads further, will animals become infected as well?
So Far, So Good
To date, there have been no reports of pets who have been diagnosed with Zika virus, according to the CDC. Although further research is needed to gain a better understanding of Zika virus in animals, there has been no evidence thus far that animals play a role in the transmission or spread of the virus. The only animal known to have contracted the illness and experienced a mild fever was a monkey during the 1940s in Uganda's Zika Forest, the place for which the virus was named.
A study conducted on horses, cows, goats, ducks, water buffalo and bats during the 1970s turned up limited evidence that these animals can contract the virus, but they did not become outwardly sick or pose a risk of transmission to humans. Similarly, while dogs and cats can become infected with West Nile virus, another mosquito-borne disease that affects humans, they may not demonsrate outward signs of illness or pose a risk of transmission to humans. Based on the limited research that has studied Zika virus at this time, the CDC has not declared the virus as a concern to the pet population.
Protection Is Prudent
If the limited evidence still has you concerned about your dog or cat, keep in mind that there are greater threats that mosquitoes and other parasites, such as ticks, pose to your pet. Your dog or cat is much more likely to contract heartworm disease from the mosquito population than Zika virus. Heartworm disease is deadly, unlike Zika virus.
Protect your pet by keeping him on a heartworm preventative product. Your veterinarian will perform a blood test to screen your pet for heartworm disease, and if your pet's test result is negative, a heartworm preventative will be prescribed. Some preventative products offer protection against heartworm disease as well as providing flea and tick control. Be sure to use these products as directed by your veterinarian, and never administer a canine preventative product to your cat.
In addition to these products, you can take steps to limit your pet's exposure to mosquitoes.
Reduce Exposure
While indoor cats are only exposed to the occasional mosquito that manages to enter your home through a briefly opened door, dogs that go outdoors every day are at greater risk for mosquito bites. Take these precautions to limit your pet's exposure:
- Eliminate sources of standing water on your property, such as birdbaths, watering cans that contain last night's rainfall or puddles on the patio that result from poor drainage. Stagnant water is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.
- Consider spraying your property with a natural insect repellent that is labeled safe for use where pets reside. Keep your pets indoors until the product has dried.
- Discuss the use of a pet-safe topical mosquito repellent on your dog with your veterinarian.
- Restrict your dog's outdoor activity, especially during hours when mosquitoes become more active.
Although further research must be conducted to thoroughly evaluate the impact of Zika virus on companion animals, you can get into the habit now of protecting your pets from mosquitoes. To learn more, contact your local animal hospital.
