
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) issued instructions Wednesday, advising Iowa pet owners to keep their cats and dogs away from sick or deceased wild birds and animals.
Pet owners should also discourage indoor and outdoor cats from hunting wildlife because of the ongoing threat posed by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 HPAI) now circulating within wild and migratory birds, the IDALS said.
Pet owners should follow these tips to help keep pets healthy:
- Keep pets away from dead wildlife, including birds.
- Do not allow your pet to kill or eat wildlife.
- Do not feed pets raw, undercooked, or unpasteurized frozen or freeze-dried milk, eggs, meat or organs.
- Cooking or heat-treating pet food to appropriate temperatures inactivates H5N1 HPAI.
- Freeze dried and frozen unpasteurized pet food is often considered raw and can pose a risk to pets.
- Keep your pet away from livestock including poultry and dairy cattle.
- Wash your hands and change your clothes after interacting with livestock and before interacting with pets.
This strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, the H5N1 HPAI, is a viral disease that can travel in wild and migratory birds and is often fatal to domestic bird populations, including chickens and turkeys. H5N1 HPAI can also impact dairy cattle and other mammals, including dogs and cats.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recently reported a resurgence of H5N1 HPAI within Iowa’s wild and migratory bird populations. Several other states also have confirmed cases of H5N1 HPAI in cats, with several tied to the consumption of raw milk, uncooked pet food, or interactions with diseased wildlife, including birds.
In Iowa a predominantly outdoor domestic cat in Hamilton County recently displayed clinical signs consistent with H5N1 HPAI and tested positive for H5N1 HPAI after the veterinarian ruled out other diseases.
If your pet exhibits any of the following clinical signs of HPAI, contact your veterinarian. Cats and dogs can both get H5N1 HPAI, but cats are more susceptible. Clinical signs can include:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Red eyes
- Respiratory signs (eye or nose discharge)
- Neurological signs (tremors, seizures, incoordination, blindness)
- Sudden death
Pet owners should always consult their veterinarians if they have questions about the health and wellbeing of their animals.
The safety of the human food supply is also a concern. Eggs and poultry products are believed to be safe, the IDALS said, but consumers should always properly handle and cook eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165˚F.
There is also no concern about the safety of pasteurized milk or dairy products, the IDALS said. Pasteurization has continually proven to successfully inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk.
Some instances are reported of humans contracting H5N1 HPAI as a result of their connection to an infected poultry or dairy farm. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has said the threat to the general public remains low, the IDALS said. No confirmed cases are reported of HPAI spreading from humans to humans, dogs or cats to humans, cats to cats or dogs to dogs.