Health
Bird flu is killing pet cats in Colorado. Are your pets at risk?
Several pet cats in Colorado have died from avian flu this year, some without being directly infected by the virus. Outbreaks on dairy farms.
State public health officials have yet to determine how the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus circulating in the infected flock sickened six pet cats, including two that were indoor cats, and some are questioning how the virus spreads and infects different animals.
Kristin Richman, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said in an email that state officials “suspect there is a direct link to exposure on dairy farms.”
“Genetic testing for the virus has linked infections in some of these cats to avian influenza outbreaks in dairy cows, although not all cases have documented direct contact with dairy cows,” she said. For the two indoor cats, she added, “importation of the virus from the environment into the home” could have caused the pets to become infected.
Experts say the deaths may be linked to rats in and around homes that carry avian flu. Dr. Jane Sykes, professor of small animal medicine at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, said cats may have been preying on these rodents, and owners may not even know it. Another source of infection could be raw food that people feed to pets.
Cats living on a farm This year's bird flu outbreak has killed many infected farm animals, but it is unclear how domestic cats that had no contact with sick animals on farms could have contracted the virus.
“To be honest, when the number of reported animals is this low, it's often just the tip of the iceberg,” Sykes told USA Today. “There are often many cases that go unrecognized.”
Avian flu in cats and humans
of Risk of bird flu to the general public is lowState and federal officials say it's also unlikely that sick pets can transmit the virus to people — no human-to-human transmission has been seen during this outbreak.
Last week, the Colorado State Veterinarian's Office announced that six pet cats had been diagnosed with the H5N1 virus.
One case was directly linked to a commercial dairy facility where cows were infected, the statement said, two others were indoor cats, and the remaining three were outdoors hunting mice and small birds. Posts By the Colorado State Veterinary Medical Association.
Five of the six cases showed similar symptoms. Owners first complained that their cats were lethargic and not eating. Some later developed respiratory symptoms and became seriously ill, and most also developed neurological problems. Several were examined. RabiesThe cats all died, all with similar symptoms but negative results. All tested positive for avian influenza.
The state veterinarian said the virus, which was detected in a nearby dairy herd, has spread to mammals and wild birds on and near the property, and that certain strains of H5N1 are spreading to species not previously thought to host the virus.
Citing the United States Department of Agriculture data, Colorado Public Radio Five of the six cats were confirmed to have lived in northern Colorado, where there has been an outbreak among livestock.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in a mailing that the National Veterinary Services Laboratory had confirmed that 36 pet cats were infected with avian flu, often with the same strain of the virus found in dairy cows.
Thirteen people across the U.S. have been infected with bird flu this year, 10 in Colorado. All were poultry or dairy farm workers. No one has been infected by an infected cat, said Richman of the state public health department. Officials are monitoring people for 10 days after their last contact with an infected cat, he said.
Cats are typically “dead-end hosts,” meaning that once infected, they don't tend to spread avian flu to other animals, according to UC Davis's Sykes. Mortality from avian flu is high in cats; one study found that about two-thirds of infected cats died. study.
There have been instances of cats spreading the disease. In 2016, people A different type of bird flu has infected animals at an animal shelter in New York City. Thailand and Germany There have been outbreaks of avian influenza in cats before.
Jennifer Martin, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health, said understanding the genetic sequence of H5N1 in cats is important to determine whether the virus is mutating or simply seeking out hosts where it's already adapted to survive.
“This will really help us solve the puzzle of this, where it looks like it's growing,” Martin said. “But is this a growth that's been caused by changes in the virus or is it a natural growth?” Once that question is answered, “we can rely on best practices to address it,” she said.
What can you do to protect your cat?
It's unclear how widespread avian flu is outside of infected farms. In the meantime, Martin said people should rely on established methods to protect humans and pets from getting sick. That can be as simple as washing your hands after handling food or litter boxes. Pet owners should avoid feeding their pets raw milk or raw meat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people and pets avoid contact with wild birds.
Pet owners should take note Check your cat for signs of illness and consult a veterinarian. If you experience respiratory or neurological symptomsThe Colorado Veterinary Medical Board said avian flu should be considered in cats even if they don't have all the symptoms and risk factors.
People get sick The virus is spread when it is inhaled or gets into the mouth, eyes or nose. In humans, symptoms include bloodshot eyes and flu-like respiratory problems.
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Sources 2/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/08/17/indoor-domestic-cats-colorado-bird-flu/74797557007/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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