As avian influenza continues to spread across the world, pet owners are being urged to take extra caution.
Recently, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a recommendation for cat and dog owners to keep their animals indoors as cases of the virus continue to rise.
This is particularly concerning given that 24 cats have already tested positive for avian influenza in Poland and five dogs and one cat have been infected in Italy.
Avian influenza, or H5N1 virus, has been around since 1996 but it wasn’t until mid-2021 that things began to change drastically.
A World Health Organization collaborating centre which studies influenza in animals determined that the group of viruses had become much more infectious.
It is possible for humans to contract avian influenza if they come into close contact with an infected bird. Unfortunately, this isn’t just a concern among birds anymore because now mammals like dogs and cats are also testing positive for the virus.
The United States has begun testing several vaccine candidates in birds and France aims to begin vaccinating poultry as early as autumn this year; however, Christine Middlemiss, UK’s chief veterinary officer warns that vaccination alone won’t solve everything because “the virus changes constantly.”
As such, pet owners must take extra precautions when handling their animals including keeping them on a leash or confining them indoors if they live in areas where extensive circulation of HPAI [highly pathogenic avian influenza] viruses are present.
Overall, avian flu is something many people need be aware of as it could potentially lead to dire consequences if not taken seriously enough by pet owners or authorities alike.
The sooner we understand how serious this problem is and start taking steps towards prevention then maybe then we can find some sort of solution before it’s too late.
