Can Dogs Get Bird Flu? How To Protect Your Pets
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You’ve likely seen the unsettling news about the recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), specifically H5N1, which has jumped species from birds to dairy cows, wild mammals, and even humans. But did you know our pets are at risk, too?
Since the U.S. outbreak of H5N1 in dairy cattle began in March 2024, dozens of cats are known to have contracted the virus. And since 2022, there have been 74 confirmed cases of bird flu in domestic cats reported to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and 1 case confirmed in a dog in Canada. How worried should we be for our furry friends?
Can Dogs Get Bird Flu?
I talked to an expert, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, DVM, DACVIM, senior veterinarian at The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC) in New York City, about HPAI and the risk for our canine and feline companions. Dr. Ann Hohenhaus also serves as director of pet health information and oncology specialist at AMC, the world’s largest veterinary teaching hospital.
According to Dr. Hohenhaus, “There have been no confirmed cases of dogs contracting bird flu in the U.S., but there’s been one reported case in Canada” (as of January 15, 2025). “The dog chewed on a wild goose, got sick, and died,” she shares. “Cats seem to be more susceptible to avian influenza than dogs. Hamsters are also susceptible.”
What Are The Signs Of Bird Flu In Pets?
“Respiratory and neurologic signs are most common in cats, and the dog in Canada had respiratory signs,” explains Dr. Hohenhaus. “If your dog does come into contact with a dead bird or bird droppings, monitor for signs of illness — such as lethargy, fever, respiratory issues, or changes in their behavior — and contact your veterinarian if any of these signs are present.”
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, you should seek veterinary care if your cat or dog appears to have any of the following signs. Clinical signs of HPAI infection in cats are better known than in dogs. However, symptoms in either species may include:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Low appetite
- Reddened or inflamed eyes
- Discharge from the eyes and nose
- Difficulty breathing
- Neurologic signs, like tremors, seizures, incoordination, or blindness
Can Humans Contract H5N1 From Pets?
“Currently, there does not appear to be human to dog/cat or dog/cat to human transmission of the virus,” says Dr. Hohenhaus. Still, taking precautions and protecting yourself is crucial if you’re caring for a cat or dog with bird flu. She recommends frequent handwashing with soap and water, wearing a mask, and protecting your eyes from sneezes and coughs of a sick animal.
There’s a long history of viruses mutating over time and becoming zoonitic (when humans contract infectious diseases from animals). And health experts are becoming increasingly concerned about reverse zoonosis in pets (when humans transmit infectious diseases to their pets). Learn more in my article about recent research into reverse zoonosis.
Is Raw Pet Food A Risk?
“Avian influenza is transmitted through contact with saliva, mucous, or feces from infected birds,” explains Dr. Hohenhaus. “However, consumption of infected meat or milk has been implicated in feline cases of avian influenza.” Several domestic cats have unfortunately died in California, Colorado, and Oregon due to their owners feeding them raw meat or unpasteurized milk products that were later recalled. These cases involved the manufacturers Northwest Naturals and Monarch Raw Pet Food.
New FDA Regulations
On January 17, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a new update for regulated cat and dog food manufacturers who sell uncooked or unpasteurized products. The updated regulation requires these manufacturers to reanalyze food safety plans to account for HPAI (specifically H5N1) as a hazard. Raw foods include uncooked meat, unpasteurized milk, and unpasteurized eggs.
The FDA is urging pet food producers and those involved in the supply chain to adopt methods, such as pasteurization, that can greatly reduce or eliminate the risk of bird flu spreading through animal food. Additionally, it advises companies to source meat, milk, or eggs from healthy flocks or herds.
Scientific information is evolving, but at this time it is known that H5N1 can be transmitted to cats and dogs when they eat products from infected poultry or cattle (e.g., unpasteurized milk, uncooked meat, or unpasteurized eggs) that have not undergone a processing step that is capable of inactivating the virus, such as pasteurizing, cooking or canning. Cats (domestic and large felids) in particular can experience severe illness or death from infection with H5N1. Dogs can also contract H5N1, although they usually exhibit mild clinical signs and low mortality compared to cats. At present, H5N1 has not been detected in dogs in the United States, but there have been fatal cases in other countries.
- FDA Update, January 17, 2025
Is There An H5N1 Vaccine?
Currently, there’s no H5N1 vaccine for dogs or other animals. While there isn’t any evidence of human-to-human transmission of H5N1, there’s still a chance that the virus could mutate into a strain that spreads among people. According to TIME, scientists aren’t waiting for that to happen and are working on an updated H5N1 vaccination for humans.
At present, the available vaccines target different strains of H5N1 that were prevalent at the time of their development years ago. However, health experts believe these vaccines may still offer some level of protection against severe illness. In July 2024, the U.S. government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) granted Moderna $176 million to work on an updated mRNA H5N1 vaccine. All mRNA vaccine candidates are in the initial phases of testing for safety and efficacy in humans.
5 Tips To Keep Your Pet Dogs & Cats Safe
Dr. Hohenhaus and her team at AMC have several tips to protect your furry friends. This is a developing situation, but the following simple precautions can help keep pets safe.
- Avoid feeding raw meat or dairy. Raw or undercooked meat, particularly poultry, can be a source of infection for cats. Unpasteurized dairy products also pose a risk.
- Keep cats indoors to limit exposure to wildlife.
- While the risk to dogs is less clear, it’s best to keep all pets away from dead animals, livestock, wildlife, and their waste.
- Dog owners should instruct their dogs to avoid contact with dead birds and bird droppings.
- If your pet shows signs of illness, such as lethargy, fever, or respiratory issues, such as nasal discharge, sneezing, and coughing, please contact your veterinarian.
The AVMA also recommends that, before interacting with their pets, owners should change clothes and shoes and thoroughly wash any exposed skin after contact with sick or dead animals that may harbor the H5N1 virus.
Although the risk to domestic dogs seems minimal (thus far), it’s so important to take precautions. As experts say, this zoonitic disease is still evolving. You can also find some handy safety tips in my article about COVID and dogs.
Why Trust Canine Journal?
As a public relations specialist at the University of Virginia Health System, Sally served on the H1N1 swine flu preparedness committee to determine how the health system would address the pandemic in its hospital and beyond. Committee members included international infectious diseases experts, hospital leadership, a World Health Organization member, and others. She has also been researching and writing about human health for nearly 30 years and has been an expert on pet health conditions and treatment for over a decade. Sally is part of a team of canine professionals and long-time dog owners who stay on top of the most helpful research, best products, and more for our own pups and those of all of our readers.