With the recent spread of H5N1 Avian Influenza across various animal species, including domestic pets, it is more important than ever for pet owners to understand what the avian flu is and how it can potentially impact their pets. The avian flu presents a real health risk to not only animal communities but also public health, making prevention strategies and overall awareness crucial to stop its spread.
Recent news and increasing information distribution regarding Avian Flu has prompted us to present some consolidated information that every pet owner should find relevant and important.
What Is the Avian Influenza Virus?
Avian influenza type A H5N1 has been spreading globally for about four years, yet animal and public health officials are now monitoring how quickly a new variant of the H5N1 virus — the clade 2.3.4.4b viruses — can jump to new animals, including people. The virus was initially detected in wild birds in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, in December 2021. The following month, the first wild birds were diagnosed with the highly pathogenic virus, and then the first commercial poultry facility was established in February 2022. Currently infections have been diagnosed in backyard pigs, poultry, wild birds, domestic and wild felines, dairy cattle, and humans.
H5N1 sequences were found in local migratory birds, suggesting that the farm animals likely contracted the virus through contact with these birds rather than from other livestock. The U.S. swine industry remains untouched by H5N1, as the virus continues to infect commercial poultry and dairy cattle operations across multiple states, including some of the farm workers and others.
Avian Influenza & Our Pets
Can My Pets Get H5N1 Avian Influenza?
Yes, certain pets, such as cats, dogs, and ferrets, can contract H5N1 if they come into contact with infected birds, their droppings, or contaminated environments. This is due to avian influenza being a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread across species of animals, as well as from animals to humans, though these cases have been found to be rare.
Animals can be exposed to H5N1 through various pathways, including the consumption of infected birds or other animals and unpasteurized milk from infected cows. Felines, including both domestic and wild cats, such as tigers and mountain lions, are particularly sensitive to avian influenza, and care should be taken so as not to expose these animals to the virus.
An outbreak of H5N1 affected American dairy cattle in March 2024, and since then, records have shown that dozens of cats have contracted the virus. These cats included barn and feral cats, indoor cats, and big cats in zoos and in the wild, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
What Are The Symptoms Of H5N1 In Pets?
Symptoms can vary in domestic animals but may commonly include:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Coughing or difficulty breathing
- Eye discharge
- Loss of appetite
- Reddened or inflamed eyes
- Discharge from the eyes and nose
- Neurological signs and depression (in severe cases)
If you notice any of these signs in your pet after they have been exposed to birds, other sick animals, raw foods, or unpasteurized milk, get in touch with your veterinarian immediately, as supportive measures to help your pet fight the infection will need to be started immediately. There is currently no specific treatment for H5N1 in pets, and animals with severe cases of avian influenza may not recover. Affected pets will need to be isolated to avoid the further spread of the infection to other animals as well as the veterinary team.
Words of Caution from the Veterinary Community
As quoted by the AVMA, Dr. Angela Demaree, immediate past president of the American Association of Food Safety and Public Health Veterinarians, says her organization is urging cat owners to stop feeding raw diets and transition to high-quality canned cat foods. In addition to concerns about H5N1, raw diets may also contain zoonotic bacteria such as Salmonella or Campylobacter. "Additionally, we are reminding cat owners that if they visit farms or interact with chickens or livestock to practice good biosecurity by cleaning and disinfecting shoes, changing clothes, and washing hands before greeting their feline friends," she said.
Following Dr. Demaree's line of thought and caution in dealing with pet foods and diets, a press release announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires "manufacturers of cat and dog foods who are covered by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PCAF) rule and using uncooked or unpasteurized materials derived from poultry or cattle (e.g., uncooked meat, unpasteurized milk or unpasteurized eggs) to reanalyze their food safety plans to include Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus (specifically H5N1) as a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard." This move is in response to the FDA's tracking of H5N1 cases in both domestic and wild cats in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington State that have been linked to consuming contaminated food products.
Due to the growing threat that avian influenza poses to animals and public health, numerous agencies and organizations have created guidance resources for pet and livestock owners, as well as workers and companies within livestock and pet-related industries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Animal Hospital Association, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are among those working to spread awareness about H5N1 and the dangers it presents to pets and livestock.
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