Welcome to Pets First Animal Hospital!
02/25/2025
PLEASE READ!
Avian Influenza in Domestic Felines in Colorado – What you need to know.
Recently, the USDA, FDA, and CDC have been investigating detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) in dairy cattle. In turn, feline cases have been detected. Normally, exposure of cats to the virus has been through contact with wild birds and poultry but some states have seen the virus affect barn cats associated with infected dairy premises as well as indoor only cats.
In Colorado, there have been 10 confirmed cases in domestic cats since May 2024, 2 of which were indoor only cats with no direct exposure to the virus. The two indoor cats had exposure to raw poultry meat (chicken, turkey) through commercial or homemade diets.
Things to look out for:
-Respiratory symptoms and neurological signs including dyspnea (shortness of breath), tachypnea (abnormally rapid breathing), blindness, altered mentation (lack of coordination), seizures, tremors, ataxia (imbalanced walking and/or inability to stand), fever, and death.
-Lethargy (decreased energy), inappetance (decreased appetite), abnormal behavior
Risk Factors:
-Cats consuming raw poultry products including commercial and homemade raw meat diets (INCLUDING freeze-dried raw pet food diets)
-Cats being fed raw or discarded milk
-Cats residing on or near dairy operations
-Cats known to hunt or consume rodents or birds
-Owners associated with dairy activities
-Indoor cats that escaped for a period of time
Infection Prevention and Control Measures
-Do not feed pets unpasteurized dairy products or raw poultry or raw pet food products. Handling and feeding these products put both you and your pet at risk of exposure to the virus as well as other harmful bacteria.
-Limit contact between pets and wild birds as well as ill livestock and environments that could be contaminated with the virus
-Consider changing clothing and shoes after interacting with animals or birds with unknown health status, and before interacting with personal pets.
-Wash your hands thoroughly after touching or interacting with animals outside your household.
-Avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife.
IF AT PRESENT, YOU ARE ALLOWING YOUR KITTY OUTSIDE, PLEASE RECONSIDER. OUTDOOR ONLY OR INDOOR/OUTDOOR CATS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER RISK OF EXPOSURE. THIS IS A DEADLY VIRUS WITH NO VACCINE OR EFFECTIVE TREATMENT TO DATE. KEEP YOUR KITTY SAFE - KEEP THEM INDOORS!
Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat has decreased energy and appetite progressing to neurological signs (lack of coordination, inability to stand, tremors, seizures). Respiratory signs (nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing) may or may not be present.
Thank you,
Pets First Animal Hospital
(719) 550-1744
[email protected]
