Swine Flu of Little Risk to Cats & Dogs

In light of the Swine Flu (H1N1) outbreak READing Paws would like to remind all of you to:

1. Continue to practice universal contact precautions (e.g., especially hand hygiene: wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer often - for both you AND your animal).

2. Check with the health care team for status reports before visiting anyone. Specifically, ask your supervisor at the facility if there are any people there with the flu or flu-like symptoms. Do not enter ANY room that has any kind of infection control warning

3. Do not visit anyone who appears to be sick with flu-like symptoms.

4. Do not visit if you yourself have any flu-like symptoms – stay home, come back next week.

5. Check in advance with your facility, even if you are READing at your regularly scheduled time. They may have a new, temporary policy in effect during this time regarding all visitors, depending on what is going on in their facility.

6. This bears repeating: Wash your hands and use hand sanitizer often.  Use anti-bacterial sanitizer wipes on your animal before and after your visits.

CLICK HERE to see the ASPCA statement about Swine Flu (H1N1) and domestic pets.