Early this week, Santa Barbara County Public Health confirmed two cases of H5 bird flu in domesticated cats from two different households. Both cats died.
"Don’t freak out," says Dr. Renee Gray with San Roque Pet Hospital.
Dr. Gray says Influenza in cats is rare, but with an outbreak in our state, it's good to be cautious and call your vet if your pet starts acting sick.
"A sudden onset of neurologic symptoms, so staggering seizures, just really weird behaviors, and or severe respiratory things. So getting snotty and nasty and your eyes and nose and things, if that's a sudden onset of that," explained Dr. Gray.
Animal Shelter Assistance Program Veterinarian Ginger White says the main risk to cats is what they’re eating.
"Several cats have unfortunately passed away in Los Angeles, that was confirmed to be the source was raw milk," Dr. White says.
The County says there have not been any reported cases of cat-to-cat or cat-to-human infections.
"As far as we know right now, the main risk to cats is from consuming raw milk or cream or rather undercooked meat products," Dr. White says.
On Tuesday, the pet food company Northwest Naturals voluntarily recalled its two-pound raw and frozen turkey food after The Oregon Department of Agriculture linked the food to the death of a cat in the state.
"There is a reason to be concerned, but there is not a reason to be panicked by any means at this point," Dr. White says.
County public health urges people and pets to avoid contact with sick or dead birds in your area.
From the County
While the current risk of transmission of H5 bird flu to Santa Barbara County residents and pets remains low, the Public Health Department 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 sick animals: Avoid unprotected contact with sick or dead animals, including birds, or any materials contaminated with bird feces. 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: If you come across any sick or dead birds, please contact the appropriate agencies listed below for proper handling and assistance. 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.
• Get a seasonal flu vaccine: People are encouraged to receive a seasonal flu vaccine.
Additional Resources
To report a sick or dead animal that may have H5N1, you can contact the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA):
• CDFA: Call the CDFA Sick Bird Hotline at (866) 922-BIRD (2473) to report sick poultry.
• USDA: Call the USDA toll-free hotline at (866) 536-7593 to report sick birds.
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Report unusual or suspicious dead wild birds online at:
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/Avian_Health_Program.html
CDC H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation:
https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html
CDPH Bird Flu:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Bird-Flu.aspx
