Cat's Meow Veterinary Clinic

12/25/2024

For Immediate Release:
December 24, 2024

Public Health Warns Against Feeding Pets Raw Food Following H5 Bird Flu Virus Detection

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is advising residents to not feed their pets raw food following a voluntary recall of Northwest Naturals Brand 2lb Feline Turkey Recipe Raw & Frozen Pet Food due to detection of H5 bird flu virus in product samples. The Oregon Department of Agriculture has confirmed a house cat contracted H5 bird flu and died after consuming the recalled raw frozen pet food. The recalled products are sold in California. A listing of retailers can be found on the product’s website.

The recalled products are packaged 2-pound plastic bags with “Best if used by” dates of 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1. Pet owners are urged to immediately dispose of the product.

Residents who fed their pets the recalled raw pet food products or other raw meat or dairy products and notice their pet is experiencing symptoms should immediately contact their veterinarian.

Public Health recently confirmed H5 bird flu in four house cats that consumed recalled raw milk and became sick and died, which is part of an ongoing investigation. Cats infected with H5 bird flu can develop severe illness that may including neurologic signs, respiratory signs or liver disease that can rapidly progress to death. Public Health is also investigating additional possible cases of H5 bird flu in three house cats from a different household. One cat has tested positive for Influenza A, a rare result in cats that indicates possible H5 bird flu. Two other cats, which have died after worsening respiratory illness, are presumed to have also been positive for Influenza A. Public Health is awaiting confirmatory testing. These cats were not known to be exposed to raw milk, however public health is investigating other possible sources of infection, including raw meat.

Residents should avoid consumption of all raw milk and raw meat products and not feed these to their pets. Raw dairy, meat and poultry products, can harbor harmful bacteria and viruses, including H5 bird flu, which can pose serious risks to your health and the health of your pets. While consuming raw milk and meat products is never advised from a public health standpoint, the risk is especially concerning at this time, given the ongoing spread of bird flu virus among dairy cattle and following recent multiple detections of the virus in raw milk products.

About H5 Bird Flu

H5 bird flu refers to various strains of influenza A viruses that typically infect birds. While these viruses mainly affect wild birds, sometimes they also infect other animals, including wild and domestic animals (including seals, foxes, cats, and cows). H5N1 is one type of avian influenza that has been spreading among birds and mammals, leading to a nationwide outbreak. This is the first time these bird flu viruses have been found to be spreading in cows. The overall risk of H5 bird flu to the public remains low. There is currently no evidence of person to person spread of this virus.

Public Health has been working with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the local LA County agricultural community to ensure key risk groups, including farm workers, workers at dairy, egg, and meat processing facilities and backyard flock owners receive information and resources to help identify and protect against this infection; this includes access to gloves, face masks and eye protection along with access to testing and flu vaccines.

Public Health yesterday confirmed the first case of H5 bird flu in a human in Los Angeles County who was exposed to livestock infected with H5 Bird flu at a worksite.

Symptoms of H5 bird flu virus infection in humans may include:

Eye redness or discharge
Cough
Sore throat
runny or stuffy nose
Diarrhea
Vomiting
muscle or body aches
Headaches
Fatigue
trouble breathing
Fever
Symptoms in cats infected with H5 bird flu may vary and include:

Loss of appetite
Tiredness
Respiratory and/or neurological signs
For questions or to find a nearby clinic or doctor, residents can call the Public Health InfoLine at 833-540-0473. Open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information, visit our websites:

Avian flu in animals: publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet/HPAI.htm

Avian flu in humans: ph.lacounty.gov/acd/diseases/h5n1.htm

Information about bird flu in LA County.

12/13/2024

For Immediate Release (from Los Angeles County Veterinary Public Health):

December 12, 2024

Suspected H5 Bird Flu Detected in Los Angeles County Cats That Consumed Recalled Raw Milk

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two possible cases of H5 bird flu in cats that consumed recalled raw milk from Raw Farm, LLC.

The infected indoor cats consumed raw milk linked to a recall of raw milk and cream products prior to the onset of symptoms, which included lack of appetite, fever and neurologic signs. The infected cats died after severe worsening of their illness, and subsequently tested positive for Influenza A, a rare result in cats.

Public Health is considering these suspected H5 bird flu cases and is obtaining confirmatory testing. The nationwide H5 bird flu outbreak has seen other cats infected with the virus after consuming infected raw milk.

People who had direct contact with the cats are monitoring for symptoms and have been offered antiviral prophylaxis. There have been no human cases of bird flu associated with exposure to these cats yet identified. The investigation is ongoing.

Although human cases of bird flu are rare and the risk to residents remains low, this detection of H5 bird flu in cats who consumed raw milk underscores the importance of being proactive about preventing ongoing transmission of the virus.

“The risk of H5 bird flu remains low in Los Angeles County, but this suspected case of the virus in a pet cat that consumed raw milk is a reminder that consuming raw dairy products can lead to severe illness in cats," said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “To avoid the spread of disease, including H5 bird flu, we strongly encourage residents and their pets to avoid raw dairy and undercooked meat products, limit contact with sick or dead animals, report sick or dead birds and keep pets or poultry away from wild animals and birds.”

Cats may be exposed to H5 bird flu by consuming infected birds or other animals, being in environments contaminated with the virus, and consuming unpasteurized milk from infected cows. Cats infected with H5 bird flu may develop severe illness that can include fever and neurologic signs, and that can rapidly progress to death. Transmission of the H5 bird flu virus from mammal to mammal can occur. Cats have transmitted another influenza strain to humans, but there have been no known cases to date of H5 bird flu transmitted from cats to humans as part of this nationwide H5 bird flu outbreak.

Raw milk, which is milk that has not been pasteurized, can carry harmful germs including influenza. These germs can present serious health risks to you, your family, and your pets. Anyone can become sick from drinking raw milk or consuming raw milk products. The people at the highest risk for severe illness include people who are pregnant, adults 65 years and older, children younger than 5 years, and people with weakened immune systems.

Public Health continues to strongly encourage residents to avoid consuming raw milk and to not feed it to their pets; this includes frozen raw milk products since freezing does not eliminate harmful germs that can cause illness. Pasteurized milk remains safe to drink.

Symptoms of H5 bird flu infection in humans include eye redness or discharge, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing and fever.

Anyone who has consumed these specific recalled raw milk products and is experiencing symptoms should immediately contact their health care provider or local health department.

Samples from birds, cats, and wild mammals in LA County continue to be tested for H5 bird flu at our Public Health Laboratory. In addition, the Public Health Laboratory routinely tests clinical specimens from humans for H5 bird flu as part of ongoing surveillance.

***Best Practices to Reduce Risk for You and Your Pets***

While the current risk of transmission of H5 bird flu to LA County residents and pets remains low, Public Health encourages these best practices:

Avoid Raw Dairy and Undercooked Meat Products: Do not drink raw milk or eat raw cheeses and undercooked meat products. Do not feed these to your pets. Raw milk, even from healthy cows, may be contaminated with harmful germs that can make you and your pets very sick. Freezing raw milk does not eliminate the harmful germs that may be in the product.
Limit Contact with Animals: Avoid unprotected contact with sick or dead animals or birds or any materials contaminated with bird f***s. Avoid handling wild birds and observe them only from a distance. If you have to handle wild birds, even if they appear healthy, wear a well-fitting mask and gloves, and practice good hand hygiene, as some birds may carry the virus without showing symptoms.
Report sick or dead birds: Contact your local animal control agency if you see sick or dead birds. Symptoms can vary; infected birds or animals may be unable to fly, have seizures, have difficulty walking or be found dead.
Protect pets or poultry: Keep pets or poultry away from wild animals and birds. Ensure that wild birds cannot defecate into areas holding or housing pet birds or poultry.
Remove Bird Feeders and Baths: Take down bird feeders and communal bird baths to reduce the risk of the virus spreading from bird-to-bird.
Get a Seasonal Flu Vaccine: People should receive a seasonal flu vaccine. While this vaccine does not prevent avian influenza infection, it can reduce the risk of getting sick with human and bird flu viruses at the same time.
For questions or to find a nearby clinic or doctor, residents can call the Public Health InfoLine at 833-540-0473. Open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information, visit our websites:

Avian flu in animals: publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet/HPAI.htm

Avian flu in humans: ph.lacounty.gov/acd/diseases/h5n1.htm

Information about bird flu in LA County.

11/27/2024

Well, it wouldn't be a holiday season without an internet crisis. Our signal went down out of the blue, and Spectrum has informed me that there is an outage in the area that is not expected to be fixed until 6:30 PM. Something, somewhere, broke.

Fortunately we are in the pre-Thanksgiving doldrums and merely watching the clock until closing time anyway. Sigh.

11/13/2024

11/13/2024

This is probably why I didn't stay a mixed-practice vet up in Oregon, working on all manner of livestock, plus dogs and cats and ferrets.

Well, also, because I had the world's worst employer, and needed a job that wasn't going to get me killed, lol.

11/06/2024

Just a reminder that we HAVE always and WILL always welcome LGBTQ, immigrant, POC, and female clients and their kitties. No government edict can ever change my feelings about this. I am, after all, the quintessential childless cat lady, lol.

Give your fur babies a big hug and try to have a reasonably nice day.

10/21/2024

Ahhhh......another day, another bite wound abscess surgery.

(Dr. R wanders off, smiling and humming "heaven....I'm in heaven")

10/21/2024

I'm thinking most of us serious cat people already knew this.

A small team of animal scientists at Azabu University, in Japan, has found via experimentation that common house cats are capable of associating human words with images without prompting or reward. In their study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, the group tested volunteer cats looking a...

10/17/2024

Thursday PM update: WE HAVE POWER! Once the electrician located the replacement part, it only took about ten minutes to tighten a few connections, remove the old fuse box, and slide in the new one. And only for $1200. Which is going to be deducted from November rent, as electrical is totally the landlords responsibility per my lease even though he has told me he doesn't care what the lease says.

I have spent the past 3 hours catching up on voicemails and emails and sending home a few prescriptions. Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment myself in addition to a couple of patient visits.

~~~~~
Our power and phones have been off since last Friday due to a electrical panel equipment problem. So we have been unable to receive calls OR retrieve voicemails. The electrician can get the needed old school part and fix us up this afternoon. We'll be back up and running and don't need to get DWP out here again. The delay was due to DWP service and inspection confusion and delays and just plain incompetence.

Believe it or not we were still able to provide a minor level of outpatient care for the small number of clients who already had appointments or used FB messaging. But it's a bit like trying to practice medicine while Amish. I should be wearing a dark dress and wearing a white cap.

09/21/2024

Excellent advice.

Showing your child how to handle the family cat will keep them both safe. Explain that cats do not feel safe when “big people” suddenly pick them up. If age-appropriate, show them the proper way to pick up and hold your cat with their arm under the cat’s bottom. Explain that this should only be done when you are there to supervise. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3heXpPS.

09/21/2024

Showing your child how to handle the family cat will keep them both safe. Explain that cats do not feel safe when “big people” suddenly pick them up. If age-appropriate, show them the proper way to pick up and hold your cat with their arm under the cat’s bottom. Explain that this should only be done when you are there to supervise. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3heXpPS.

09/18/2024

This is why it's a very bad idea to put pet food outdoors. We don't want to encourage raccoons (or opossums, which often carry typhus) to hang out around our homes, leaving f***s and these parasites where humans can get infected with them.

06/30/2024

And yes, we will be closed on the 4th. Have a Happy Independence Day!

With the 4th of July a week away, LA Animal Services reminds pet owners about 4th of July pet safety and share other helpful resources to keep pets and families safe! Learn more at laanimalservices.com/july4

06/30/2024

With the 4th of July a week away, LA Animal Services reminds pet owners about 4th of July pet safety and share other helpful resources to keep pets and families safe! Learn more at laanimalservices.com/july4

05/11/2024

They forgot to depict "cat when the vet visit is over" with the cat zooming straight into the carrier without any human encouragement.

05/11/2024

At some point fairly recently our voicemail stopped playing our clinic's outgoing greeting, and instead started playing only "402 is not available. Please record your message." 402 is the number assigned to the main incoming phone unit.

I only became aware of this (additional) glitch yesterday, and it took quite a while to figure out how to get my actual custom-recorded greeting to play. It finally worked.

If you get that 402 nonsense again, when you leave your message please remember to alert us to the problem.

Sigh. Technology. Can't live with it, can't live without it.

05/08/2024

We now have in stock the new monthly injectable medication for arthritis pain in cats: Solensia. It must be administered by a veterinarian in the clinical setting due to its potential risk to early fetal development and in certain serious medical conditions.

If you think your cat might benefit from this great new product, call to schedule an appointment for evaluation and, if indicated, a two-dose/two-month trial to see how your cat does on it.

The first and only FDA-approved treatment to control osteoarthritis pain in cats.