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/
