A curious dog or cat could catch bird flu exposed to saliva, mucous or feces from infected birds. Advise clients to keep their dogs and cats indoors, unless supervised, to keep them away from birds, wildlife, and livestock. Most veterinarians would know there has been an ongoing wild bird epizootic of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the United States since 2022. This avian influenza virus is an A subtype, H1N5, and has spilled over into domestic birds like chickens, turkeys and ducks. Mammals have also been infected with HPAI, including large cats like cougars and tigers, small cats, a smattering of wildlife and the occasional human being. While the outbreak is concentrated on the West Coast and in the Midwest, all 50 United States have reported cases of avian influenza. With all this going on, let’s look at some talking points you and your team could use to help educate worried pet owners. “I work in New York City and I still worry about bird flu” I know what you are thinking. Where would my patients encounter sick birds? My patients live mostly in apartments, some never leaving their 20th-floor dwelling. However, keep in mind that New York City pets travel, often to rural areas, while their humans rest and relax away from the city, and these places have wild birds. A curious dog or cat could catch bird flu when hunting live birds or investigating a bird carcass since direct infection can occur from exposure to saliva, mucous or feces from infected birds. The single dog reported to have contracted bird flu is believed to have gotten the infection from eating a dead, wild goose. Additionally, our lovely Central Park lies in the Atlantic flyway of bird migration. The huge distances birds travel also means diseases can travel with migrating birds. Remember West Nile virus? How the virus got to New York City is unknown, but we know for sure birds in New York City were dying of the virus and served as the reservoir for mosquitos to transmit the virus from birds to people. The West Nile Virus story is a warning to be heeded when it comes to the current bird flu epidemic. I am telling pet owners to keep their dogs and cats indoors, unless supervised, to keep them away from birds, wildlife, and livestock. Avoid raw poultry, milk, and beef Food, a contentious issue among pet owners, is already playing a role in bird flu infections. Twenty cats in a large cat sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest died from bird flu, and contaminated meat is the suspected source of the infections. In Oregon and California, two housecats died of bird flu, and the infection was traced to a raw turkey pet food. Raw poultry diets are a risk for your pet during this epidemic, and beef may also be a concern since cattle can become infected. California has reported cats infected with bird flu after drinking raw milk of cows infected with bird flu. I am telling pet owners not to feed foods containing raw protein sources, such as poultry or unpasteurized dairy products. “As a veterinarian, I’m worried about bird flu in people too” When we became veterinarians, we took an oath. You may remember it, but I was so excited at my graduation, I hardly remember it and had to refresh my memory. That oath contains a promise to protect the public health. Avian influenza fits the definition of a public health concern. Animals are infecting people with the virus and some people are seriously ill. If my clients ask how to protect themselves, I recommend the Cleveland Clinic website, which offers advice on protecting people against bird flu. More information to help clients protect their pets Although dogs appear to be less likely to contract bird flu than cats, common sense suggests precautions are necessary for both species. I am suggesting my clients refer to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, which has outlined steps cat owners can take to reduce the risk of bird flu in their cats. These same rules can be followed to protect dogs as well. Ann Hohenhaus, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM, Oncology), is a third-generation veterinarian, double board-certified in Oncology and Small Animal Internal Medicine. As Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC)’s director of Pet Health Information Dr. Hohenhaus writes AMC’s weekly blog, hosts a monthly “Ask the Vet” podcast, and regularly speaks to national news media about animal health. In addition, she has contributed widely to research articles and textbooks and lectures internationally and has won awards for her work in both veterinary medicine and journalism. In 2021, Hohenhaus joined the influential World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s Oncology Working Group, which she currently chairs. References Authors unknown. Accessed 1/11/25. USDA reported H5Ni Bird Flu Detections in Poultry. United States Centers for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/data-map-commercial.html West C. 12/20/24. 2 cougars, racoon in Washington recently diagnosed with bird flu. KOMONEWS https://komonews.com/news/local/two-cougars-raccoon-recently-diagnosed-with-bird-flu-h1n1-in-washington-state-mammals-avian-influenza-wildlife Authors unknown. Accessed 1/11/25. H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation. United States Centers for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html Authors unknown. Accessed 1/11/25. Bird Flu in animals and People: Causes and How it Spreads United States Centers for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/virus-transmission/index.html Authors unknown. 4/4/23. Domestic dog tests positive for avian influenza in Canada. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. https://www.canada.ca/en/food-inspection-agency/news/2023/04/domestic-dog-tests-positive-for-avian-influenza-in-canada.html Authors unknown. Accessed 1/11/25. Migratory Bird Flyways in North America. US Fish & Wildlife Service. https://www.fws.gov/media/migratory-bird-flyways-north-america Lopez W. (2002). West Nile virus in New York City. American journal of public health, 92(8), 1218–1221. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.92.8.1218 Tanaka Rodney. 7/7/2009. CVM Professor honored for her groundbreaking work. Western U News. https://news.westernu.edu/cvm-professor-honored-for-her-groundbreaking-work/#:~:text=College%20of%20Veterinary%20Medicine%20Professor%20Tracey%20McNamara%2C%20DVM%2C,West%20Nile%20virus%20in%20New%20York%20in%201999 Board C. 12/21/24. Shelton animal sanctuary says 20 large cats are dead from avian flu outbreak. King5 News. https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/animal-sanctuary-20-large-cats-dead-from-avian-flu-outbreak/281-8ebb0c9d-f2f6-470e-9b93-b3f6990eef5f Authors unknown. 12/31/24. Public Health Warns Against Feeding Pets Raw Food Following H5 Bird Flu Virus Detection. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/media/mediapubhpdetail.cfm?prid=4923 Authors unknown. 12/24/24. Morasch Meat Recalls Northwest Natural Brands 2 Lb Turkey Recipe Raw & Frozen Pet Food Tested Positive for H5N1 Strain of HPAI Virus. Oregon Department of Agriculture. https://www.oregonvma.org/resources/recalls-and-warnings/morasch-meat-recalls-northwest-naturals-brand-2-lb-turkey-recipe-raw-frozen-pet-food%E2%80%94tested-positive Authors unknown. 12/12/2024. Suspected H5 Bird Flu Detected in Los Angeles County Cats that Consumed Recalled Raw Milk. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/media/mediapubhpdetail.cfm?prid=4901 Authors unknown. Accessed 1/11/25. Veterinarian’s Oath. American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/veterinarians-oath Werner K. 12/20/24. First Human case of bird flu in current outbreak reported in Iowa. Des Moines Register. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/agriculture/2024/12/20/iowa-poultry-worker-diagnosed-with-bird-flu-in-states-first-case/77114857007/ Authors unknown. 12/18/24. CDC Confirms First Severe Case of H5N1 Bird Flu in United States. United States Centers for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/m1218-h5n1-flu.html Authors unknown. Accessed 1/11/25. Bird Flu (Avian Influenza) Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22401-bird-flu Authors unknown. 12/13/24. FDA Outlines Ways to Reduce Risk of HPAI in cats. United States Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-outlines-ways-reduce-risk-hpai-cats
