AVMA establishes guidelines for pets belonging to Ebola-exposed owners

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has released guidelines for health officials on how to handle pets owned by people exposed to the Ebola virus, according to an association release.

Working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health experts, the AVMA developed the guidelines after the euthanasia of an exposed dog in Spain and a second case in Dallas. Unlike the case in Spain, the dog in Dallas was quarantined and monitored for symptoms for 21 days. After testing negative for the virus and showing no symptoms, the dog was released.

The AVMA says in its release that development of the guidance was a long process because of the complex nature of the virus, as well as lack of scientific data on Ebola and companion animals.

The “Interim Guidance for Public Health Officials on Pets of Ebola Virus Disease Contacts” and “Interim Guidance for Dog or Cat Quarantine After Exposure to a Human with Confirmed Ebola Virus Disease” are available on the AVMA website for registered members. In addition to the guidance documents, more resources are available at avma.org/ebola.