As Bird Flu Spreads, Disease Trackers Set Their Sights on Pets
The New York Times
Like most countries, the U.S. has no comprehensive national system for monitoring disease in companion animals — which leaves pets and people at risk.
Trupanion, a Seattle-based pet insurance company, is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create a disease tracking system for pets, the company announced this week. The system will draw on insurance claims submitted to Trupanion in real time when sick dogs and cats visit the veterinarian.
“The concept is to proactively detect potential threats to pets and public health,” said Dr. Steve Weinrauch, the chief veterinary and product officer at Trupanion.
The effort, which also includes academic scientists and other companies in the pet industry, is still in its early stages. Initially, it will focus on bird flu, a virus that has been spreading through American dairy cows and spilling over into domestic cats.
“This is a really important public-private partnership that is going to help fill some important gaps,” said Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, who directs the C.D.C.’s One Health Office, which focuses on the connections between human, animal and environmental health.
It’s one of several ongoing efforts to address such gaps, which extend far beyond bird flu. Like most other countries, the United States has no comprehensive national system for tracking diseases in pets. While the C.D.C. is charged with protecting human health and the Department of Agriculture focuses on farm animals, companion animals tend to fall through the cracks.
“This is a population that is a little bit lost in the shuffle,” said Dr. Jennifer Granick, a veterinary internist at the University of Minnesota, who is one of the founders of a separate effort to create a disease surveillance system for pets.
