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01/27/2025
This is absolutely relevant and real, friends. Please read. Infected birds have been found just a few miles from here at UMass.
There have been rising concerns regarding bird flu or avian flu. It has even been in the news that there have been some deceased geese found at UMass that tested positive for the bird flu. Though birds and poultry are most affected by bird flu, the virus can sometimes jump to other species as wellโincluding our pets.
Though both dogs and cats can get infected with bird flu, sources state that cats may be at a higher risk of infection. Additionally, there have been more cases of bird flu H5N1 infecting cats than dogs in recent times.
Outdoor cats may be at a higher risk of contracting the H5N1 virus since they may instinctively hunt or ingest wild birdsโwhich may be carrying the virus. However, in the same way, dogs that spend unsupervised time in the backyard (and have a history of eating or scavenging birds) may also be at risk.
In addition, both dogs and cats may be at risk of getting bird flu if they consume raw or freeze-dried poultry-based diets. Your kitty tabby might be a vicious mouser. But house cats are not wild animals, and most veterinarians advise against feeding companion animals raw food because of pathogens like salmonella and listeria. The risks of raw diets have become even more pronounced in recent months due to the ongoing spread of the H5N1 bird flu.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐
๐ฅ๐ฎ ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ & ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฌ?
Symptoms of bird flu in cats and dogs include the following:
โข Respiratory distress and difficulty breathing
โข Coughing and sneezing
โข Lethargy or weakness
โข Loss of appetite
โข Fever
โข Red or inflamed eyes
โข Neurological symptoms like tremors and seizures (in severe cases)
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฌ, ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ?
While there is a widespread infection of bird flu amongst wild birds, it is recommended to take the following preventative measures to help protect your pets:
1. ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฉ ๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ง๐๐จ:
โข Prevent pets from interacting with wild birds, bird droppings, or bird feeders.
โข Keep dogs on a leash and supervise outdoor activities.
2. ๐๐ช๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ซ๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ช๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ค๐ง ๐๐๐ข๐:
โข Keep cats indoors, especially during outbreaks, to reduce hunting of infected birds.
โข Monitor dogs in your yard to ensure they donโt interact with birds or contaminated areas.
3. ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ค๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐:
โข Clean and disinfect pet food and water bowls regularly, especially those kept outside.
โข Wash your hands thoroughly after handling birds, bird feeders, or any outdoor surfaces that might be contaminated.
4. ๐ผ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ฉ๐ง๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง ๐๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ช๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ (๐๐๐ฌ) ๐๐๐ก๐ :
โข Refrain from giving your pets raw or undercooked poultry products or raw milk, as they can harbor viruses and bacteria.
The above measures help reduce your petsโ risk of exposure, which also helps keep the household safeโsince the virus can be transmitted from pets to humans.
๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง
If your pet dog, cat, or bird shows any signs of illness after potential exposure to wild birds, droppings, or contaminated environments, contact your veterinarian immediately. Early intervention can make all the difference.
