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What if your pet is exposed to Ebola?

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has issued guidance for health officials who handle pets of people exposed to the Ebola virus. AVMA convened a working group to develop the guidance in response to cases in Spain and Dallas where a pet was exposed to an owner with the virus.

The following documents have been posted on the AVMA website:

• Interim Guidance for Public Health Officials on Pets of Ebola Virus Disease Contacts provides guidance for the management of pets, specifically dogs and cats, owned by Ebola virus contacts.
• Interim Guidance for Dog or Cat Quarantine After Exposure to a Human with Confirmed Ebola Virus Disease describes the process for conducting a risk assessment for exposure of dogs and cats that had contact with a human with laboratory-confirmed evidence of Ebola, and it describes how to implement quarantine of dogs or cats if deemed appropriate by state and federal human and animal health officials.

In addition, AVMA has a number of resources available for veterinarians, health officials, and the public on its website at www.avma.org/Ebola. The AVMA will be continuously monitoring these resources and updating them as more information becomes available.