Can Your Pets Get Ebola Too?

If you are a pet lover and owner like me, you are concerned. Are our pets at risk of contracting Ebola? Are they carriers of the deadly virus? Here's what experts know at this time.

According to CNN and FOX6Now.comNews, there is no solid protocol on what to do with Ebola victims’ pets.  There is a concern about animals and how they can have a broader impact on human health.

There have been cases in previous disasters before where people do not want to leave their homes because they couldn’t bring their animals to a shelter.

The fear among health care workers and CDC officials and others is that if people are afraid that their dogs are going to be killed, they might not come forward if they’re starting to show some symptoms.

So, can pets get or spread Ebola?

“At this time, there have been no reports of dogs or cats becoming sick with Ebola or of being able to spread Ebola to people or other animals,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says according to our sources.

Some studies have shown that dogs may experience asymptomatic Ebola infections, the CDC says — meaning they may have the virus but don’t get sick.

Also, the agency says, human infections haven’t been linked to dogs.

But it’s not yet clear whether a pet’s body, paws or fur can pick up and spread Ebola to people or other animals.

Do we really need to worry about pets getting Ebola?

Not at all, said Dr. William Schaffner, chair of preventative medicine at Vanderbilt University.

With so many answers still unknown, the CDC says it is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the American Veterinary Medical Association and other partners to develop additional guidance for the U.S. pet population.