Sechelt Animal Hospital

Sechelt Animal Hospital Open Monday-Saturday for appointments, food sales and prescription refills. We are a full service animal hospital located in downtown Sechelt.

All inquiries will be addressed in a timely fashion, however if you have any concerns regarding your pets health, please contact our office directly. If you have an emergency after hours, please call our office and you will be directed to the on-call veterinarian. This page is intended for informational/educational purposes only and is not intended as a replacement for veterinary care.

H5N1 HPAI -- HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZANormally, I like to do some lighthearted posts peppered with terrible (aka...
01/09/2025

H5N1 HPAI -- HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA

Normally, I like to do some lighthearted posts peppered with terrible (aka, amazing) puns, but in light of the current spread of the H5N1 HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza), it’s time to get a little bit more serious.

H5N1 HPAI is a zoonotic virus that can spread and affect dairy cattle, cats, horses, humans, and (obviously) birds (both wildlife and domestic). It mainly affects the respiratory tract but can also cause gastrointestinal and neurological signs; it may progress to severe illness and can be fatal.

Most information about how it affects humans has already been reported in the news and through public health websites (I will link some relevant sites at the end if you want more information) so I won’t get toomuch into the risk for humans.

Instead, I'm going to get into what the risk is for our pets. This post was prompted by the recent recall of the Northwest Naturals brand of raw food, specifically the Turkey recipe. On December 24th, 2024, it was confirmed through PCR testing and whole genome sequencing that this food was linked to a confirmed case of H5N1 HPAI in a domestic cat, which resulted in the cat’s death; this was an indoor only cat with no exposure to wild or domestic birds.

This food is sold in BC, including the affected batches, so if you feed, or have recently fed, your pet this particular brand of food, check the lot numbers – if you have 5/21/26 B10 and/or 06/23/26 B1, then stop feeding it immediately, and monitor your pet for clinical signs. Early signs are malaise, lethargy, and decreased appetite – these are very vague signs, but they can progress to cough, fever, diarrhea, nasal and mucosal bleeding, jaundice, conjunctivitis, and possibly death. Early intervention is important, so the sooner you get your pet checked out, the better. If you suspect your pet has been exposed and you need to bring them into the vet to get checked, PLEASE make sure to tell the vet staff what you suspect before coming in so that we can take precautions to protect ourselves and our other patients as well.

That being said, I don’t want people to panic. Unless you’ve fed your pet the recalled raw food, or they have eaten or have had exposure to wild birds, then the odds of your pet contracting H5N1 HPAI is very low.

If you do feed or handle raw food for your pet (or if you handle or eat raw meat yourself), please keep in mind that freezing and freeze-drying are methods used to PRESERVE viruses in labs and clinical settings; the survival of the H5N1 HPAI virus in freeze-dried food specifically has not been fully assessed at the time of this writing, but it’s been proven it can survive anywhere from a few weeks to 5 months. High pressure pasteurization, which is another way raw food advocates have been trying to make it safer, has been proven to be only a risk reduction method, NOT a risk elimination practice like the more traditional heat pasteurization used for milk.

It is well established that cats eating infected birds can lead to infection with the H5N1 HPAI virus; dogs are less susceptible but that does not mean they are immune to it. The risks involved with feeding a raw food diet in general are well established, and the benefits are anecdotal at best, but if you can’t change your pet’s diet due to allergies or other health issues (or if you simply don’t want to), you don’t have to! You can eliminate the chance of virus transmission by simply cooking the food to an internal temperature of 165F/74C -- this applies to not only viruses like H5N1 HPAI, but also harmful bacteria like salmonella and E.coli.

So, with all that being said, what are some basic precautions you can take to keep you and your pets safe?

1) Do not touch sick or dead animals, or their droppings. This also extends to your pets – do not let them touch, sniff, lick, or eat dead animals (especially birds) or their droppings. The H5N1 HPAI virus is spread through inhalation and/or contact with secretions (like saliva, mucus, blood, etc) and f***s, so if you don’t get close or touch a potentially infected animal, then you’re good.

2) Do not bring sick wildlife into your home, for the reasons stated above. If you do find sick or injured wildlife, report it to the local conservation officer and/or to our provincial authority. For us in BC that means:

The CFIA -- https://inspection.canada.ca/en/about-cfia/contact-cfia-office-telephone
The Canadian Wildlife Health Co-Operative (scroll down for the BC info) -- https://www.cwhc-rcsf.ca/report_and_submit.php

3) Practice proper food safe handling and food preparation. This includes thoroughly washing all surfaces and utensils that raw food touches, as well as proper and thorough hand washing. As mentioned above, cooking will kill the virus – hunters who kill and eat wild birds, immune-compromised people, and households with immune-compromised people and pets, this is especially applicable to you as you will be higher risk!


I’ve included some links below if you need more information; there is a LOT out there, so please make sure you are getting your information from reliable sources like the ones below, and not from internet conspiracies and misinformation.

The CDC – This is the place for people with backyard poultry, bird enthusiasts, and hunters to find info relevant to them - https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/groups/

The Government of Canada – This is the place to find the latest information -- https://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/avian-influenza/latest-bird-flu-situation -- This is general information on prevention and risk management -- https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/avian-influenza-h5n1/prevention-risks.html

British Columbia Public Health – General Information -- https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/animals-and-crops/animal-health/reportable-notifiable-diseases/avian-influenza-ai

Canadian Veterinary Medical Association – Information about raw food diets -- https://www.canadianveterinarians.net/policy-and-outreach/position-statements/statements/safety-of-raw-meat-based-pet-food-products/ #:~:text=The%20Canadian%20Veterinary%20Medical%20Association%20%28CVMA%29%20finds%20there,or%20in%20contact%20with%20pets%20that%20consume%20them

Worms and Germs Blog – A great resource for a lot of information, but this is the link to H5N1 HPAI and raw food specifically -- https://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2025/01/articles/animals/cats/h5n1-influenza-raw-diets-and-petsan-overview/

Hope everyone had a safe and happy christmas! please feel free to share your holiday pics in the comments 🎄
12/27/2024

Hope everyone had a safe and happy christmas! please feel free to share your holiday pics in the comments 🎄

As the holidays approach, we want to wish you all a very merry Christmas! A huge thank you for all of the goodies and ca...
12/20/2024

As the holidays approach, we want to wish you all a very merry Christmas! A huge thank you for all of the goodies and cards that you have brought us! We are so lucky to have such amazing clients! ❤️

Please take note of our upcoming hours;

HOLIDAY HOURS:
OPEN December 23rd - 8:30am-5:30pm
CLOSED December 24th, 25th, 26th - Our amazing doctors and technicians are on-call over these days for medical emergencies. Please call (604) 885-2309 to reach us.
OPEN December 27th - 8:30am-5:30pm

It’s true what they say… new technology becomes harder to use as you age. Luckily none of us are a day over 20, so it ov...
11/26/2024

It’s true what they say… new technology becomes harder to use as you age. Luckily none of us are a day over 20, so it overall went ok with our new software today. Thank you for your support and to those who even brought us goodies! ❤️

11/23/2024

We are closing early today at 12:00pm for the data migration for our new software. If you have a medical emergency, please call (604) 885-2309 to reach the doctor on call.

A beautiful hand drawn picture of Parker hangs in room two, custom portraits are done by Sarah's Sketchy Pets - please c...
11/20/2024

A beautiful hand drawn picture of Parker hangs in room two, custom portraits are done by Sarah's Sketchy Pets - please check out her page!

11/19/2024

On November 25th our clinics Practice Management Software will be changing. What does this mean for you as a client?

- Our appointments will be longer. We are warning clients when booking the first two weeks of this change that your standard appointment will likely be 45 minutes to an hour.
- When picking up food/medications, our amazing receptionists are generally pretty speedy! During this period please be patient with our staff and give them time to get your orders ready and expect that your ‘in and out’ purchase might not be as quick as it usually is.
- When calling our office, please expect that you may be placed on hold while we navigate your request through our new software.
- Our emails will be a little delayed, but we do encourage non urgent requests be emailed to us at [email protected]

We apologize for the frustration this may cause to our clients, but we ask that you not take your frustration out on our staff. Most of our staff have been using the same software at our clinic for over a decade! Some even a quarter century! This is a very hard change for us. We appreciate your patience ❤️

Look at this distinguished gentleman...  Look at the way he is sitting yes, very distinguished mmhmm I see, I see 😉Echo ...
10/30/2024

Look at this distinguished gentleman... Look at the way he is sitting yes, very distinguished mmhmm I see, I see 😉
Echo is ready for Halloween 💓

10/19/2024
10/03/2024

SCAM ALERT
It has recently come to our attention that there is a phishing email going around regarding pet microchips. The email tells recipients that their pets microchip registration has expired and asks people to go to their website to re-register (and pay!). We just want to make it clear that if you have ever had your pet microchipped by SAH that a lifetime registration is included in the cost of the chip and you will never be contacted for payment. We have used M4 SID Microchips for Solutions for years. They are a trusted Canadian company and they have a website and toll free phone number if you ever need to update your information. I will post a link to their website in the comments.

We are closing early today for our bi-annual inventory count ✏️💊. Our office will reopen on Tuesday, October 1st at 8:30...
09/28/2024

We are closing early today for our bi-annual inventory count ✏️💊. Our office will reopen on Tuesday, October 1st at 8:30am. If you have a medical emergency, please call (604) 885-2309 and follow the prompts to reach the doctor on call.

It's always going to be a good day when it starts with a puppy!  Ellie came in to share her adorable-ness today.  She is...
09/24/2024

It's always going to be a good day when it starts with a puppy!
Ellie came in to share her adorable-ness today. She is 100% purebred cuteness (also, a Welsh Springer Spaniel), and was an excellent patient for her first visit with us ♥️

09/22/2024

Doodles of all kinds are currently a trending breed! They are also a breed that requires a lot of grooming maintenance to prevent matting, which is really painful! Keeper has been groomed from a very young age, which means she's been exposed to everything from combs to forced air dryers to nail clippers, which is why she is a super star while being groomed at a year old. Grooming is not an easy task with puppies, but we promise it pays off as long as you are consistent and use positive reinforcement. You, your dog, and your groomer will be happier in the long run!

09/17/2024

Fear Free cat exams at Sechelt Animal Hospital sometimes involve playing with water! Little Charlie loves water so she entertained herself with the tap while her brother got his vaccinations. Dr. Shetty didn’t want to stop the fun so she got her exam at the sink!

Well this is exciting!We've been nominated for a Sunshine Coast People's Choice Award for Services!  You can cast your v...
08/01/2024

Well this is exciting!
We've been nominated for a Sunshine Coast People's Choice Award for Services! You can cast your vote (for us, naturally😁) starting tomorrow (August 2nd) at 10am!

People's Choice Awards The fourth annual Sunshine Coast People’s Choice Awards(SCPCAs) are proudly presented by the Sunshine Coast Chamber of Commerce and the Coast Reporter. The 2024 People’s Choice Awards will put the spotlight on the variety of amazing local businesses we have here on the coa...

Address

#100-5500 Wharf Avenue
Sechelt, BC
V0N3A0

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday 8:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+16048852309

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