
State Vet Reminding Pet Owners To Be Cautious
A cat in Oregon’s Washington County was recently euthanized after coming down with avian influenza, following exposure to wild birds. The owner said the kitten was outdoors fulltime, and that they live next to a wildlife refuge, exposed to wild waterfowl. While new reports of cats contracting bird flu from raw pet food are concerning, State Veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz said the cases aren’t related.
“Raw food, raw dairy products, raw meat right now is a risk; we know that’s a fairly new, recent risk. In terms of this one, it’s always been a risk that’s there. I think that it just- these cases kind of coincided and appear to be stacking on top of each other, when they’re really not."
He said pet owners should be cautious, and not feed animals undercooked meat or raw milk. Scholz added it’s a sad reminder of the ongoing danger to small pets.
"There absolutely is a risk to cats who have uncontrolled access to waterfowl, especially wild waterfowl that could be infected by this virus. This case, they were full-time outdoor cats that were living right next to a wildlife refuge."
He says full-grown cats and dogs typically have a strong enough immune system to fight the virus, but owners should still keep them away from wild birds and raw meat.
Click Here for biosecurity tips for your pets.
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