For cats who love to spend time outside, Feah says walking is a great option. She also encouraged cat owners to consider building safe catios or enclosed and covered outdoor areas so that animals can still get fresh air and sensory stimulation outside, but there is no risk of contact with wildlife and their feces.
As people worry that bird flu can also be passed on to dogs, Faeh recommends putting the dog on the leash outside as well. AVMA also recommends not feeding dogs raw and undercooked food or snacks.
Faeh said cat owners should seek the attention of their veterinarians if they have any concerns about their pet’s health. Symptoms of influenza in birds include loss of appetite, lethargy, fever, runny nose, runny nose and tremor. If you have a sick pet and are making a veterinary appointment, make sure to notify the clinic when you are scheduling your concerns about the bird flu. Your veterinary team may ask you and your pet to wait outside until your date time and may take other precautions to prevent the possible spread of the disease.
How to protect pet chickens
Keeping chickens in the backyard has become a popular hobby, including in big cities in the United States, and more and more Americans may start keeping flocks as eggs rise. If they spend time outside, the backyard flock is now at a high risk of having bird flu.
For those considering becoming a chicken owner, Faeh recommends contacting the local health and agriculture department first to discuss the risks of local bird flu before bringing the chicken home. If you live in a high risk of infection, for example, if an outbreak occurs in a nearby sheep, consider delaying becoming an owner.
Faeh said if you are still ready to get chickens, or if you already have a backyard flock, you can take precautions. Chickens should not be allowed to roam the yard, she said. Instead, keep them in the cap or run to prevent exposure to wildlife. Faeh also encourages owners to limit chicken contact with their guests, who can inadvertently introduce the disease to the flock.
Symptoms of H5N1 in backyard chickens are harder to detect than in cats, because birds may die from the disease very quickly. Faeh said it is important to establish care with a local veterinarian who practices with chickens. If you notice any illness in the flock, contact your veterinarian immediately. Similarly, if one of your chickens passes and suspects bird flu, call your veterinarian and local public health department.
Owners should also take their own precautions when working with backyard chickens. Even if they appear to be healthy, they can wash their hands and change clothes after interacting with birds, Faeh said. If your pet or bird looks sick, consider covering it up.
Although H5N1 is rarely transmitted from livestock to humans, the virus shows that it can make this jump. Since the outbreak began, 70 people have been infected and one person has died. However, most human cases are reported in the labor of farmers working with infected livestock, and most of the transmission appears to occur in the dairy industry where infected cattle and undextrin milk are encountered. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the current human health risk for H5N1 is low.
But of course, good hygiene is an attempt to prevent the virus from moving in any direction. If you deal with sick chickens, you may not catch the virus, but you can pass it on. Wash hands and change clothes after spending time with birds, not only for the benefit, but for protecting other animals you may be exposed to – perhaps your pet or someone you know. “The risk to people is much lower than that of cats,” Faeh said. “We have a greater chance of bringing it to them than we have a chance of bringing it to us.”
