01/20/2025
Avian Influenza Information:
You have likely heard recent news reports about Avian Influenza (also referred to as H5N1 Influenza or H5 Bird Flu) infections in animals and people.
Cats seem to be particularly sensitive to this virus. To date there have been dozens of reports of infection in domestic and wild cats in the U.S. They develop severe or fatal respiratory and neurologic disease. Cats can be infected through contact with other infected animals such as wild birds and domestic poultry, including backyard flocks, and dairy cattle. And recently reported cases in pet cats in Oregon and California were caused by feeding raw meat and raw milk. The good news is that the cases are few and there are simple precautions to help prevent infection in pet cats.
*Keep pet cats indoors and away from wild birds and backyard flocks.
* Avoid feeding raw and uncooked meat and eggs and unpasteurized (raw) milk.
At this time, dogs do not appear to be as susceptible to illness from this virus, but it is possible for them to become infected. We will continue to monitor this issue closely.
As always, if you are concerned about your pet's health, please call our office (513) 561-7467.
For more information about this rapidly developing public health issue, we recommend the following resources:
CDC- www.cdc.gov/bird-flu /or www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/index.html
AVMA- www.avma.org/resources-tools/animals-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza/avian-influenze-h5n1-cats
Information for owners of backyard flocks- www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/caring/index.html
This page provides links to the latest H5N1 bird flu information