01/06/2025
Critical update for pet owners:
Fatal bird flu linked to raw food in cats
The Department of Public Health has confirmed a recent death caused by avian influenza in an indoor cat. The cat contracted the virus from consuming raw pet food. Several other cats have been confirmed to have the virus from raw pet food sources, including a group of 20 large cats in a sanctuary. Monarch Raw Pet Food as well as Northwest Naturals have been confirmed to have contamination, and other raw pet foods as well as raw, unpasteurized milk are being investigated as potential sources.
What you should know:
H5N1 is a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza and is spread through wild bird populations. It mainly affects birds but has been shown to affect mammals including humans, cats and pigs.
Symptoms of H5N1 in cats can include fever, lethargy, trouble breathing and in more serious cases can cause neurologic signs such as seizures and death. This does highlight the risks associated with feeding raw diets to pets.
Salmon Brook Veterinarians recommend avoiding feeding your pets raw food diets and raw, unpasteurized milk. Minimize contact with birds and for those pet owners with backyard flocks, please review biosecurity measures at the USDA website below to help minimize risk to both you and your pets.
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/defend-the-flock
If you have sick chickens, or ducks, please contact us. Be advised we may need to refer your bird to another facility for examination that would be equipped to handle potential avian flu.
If you have a cat with any of the above symptoms, please make sure to let us know at the time of making an appointment, as well as if you have any contact with birds or if your cat eats a raw food diet. We may ask you to remain in your car at time of arrival and contact us prior to entering the building to help minimize risk.
For further information regarding avian influenza, raw food diets and cats you can refer to:
https://www.avma.org/news/novel-bird-flu-strain-continues-threaten-animal-public-health #:~:text=Felines%2C%20including%20both%20domestic%20and,virus%2C%20according%20to%20the%20FDA.
https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-outlines-ways-reduce-risk-hpai-cats
Diane Gale
Select Board
Southwick, MA
The FDA is providing pet owners and animal caretakers with information about ways to reduce the risk to their animals of contracting HPAI (H5N1).
