AVMA on their website states that “The risk of cats spreading H5N1 to people is considered extremely low, but is not zero.” CDC states that “While it’s unlikely that people would become infected with bird flu viruses through contact with an infected wild, stray, feral, or domestic cat, it is possible—especially if there is prolonged and unprotected exposure to the animal.”
Since there has been some recent press activity around this, we wanted to make sure you had the latest information. We have checked in with AVMA and Cornell today to make sure we are working off the latest information. They will let us know if there are any updates.
PPE is recommended for situations where you suspect that a cat has H5N1.
There is information posted on the AVMA website about cats and avian flu.
AVMA is updating its general H5N1 information, pretty much daily. While it’s headlined with dairy, it includes information about multiple species.
CDC has a page with specific advice for veterinarians handling cats potentially exposed to H5N1. We understand that AVMA is in touch with CDC and is expecting clarification soon about recent confusion raised by the articles in the media.
Recent Comments