How To Protect Your Pet From the Bird Flu

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

Novel viruses like COVID and H5N1 will not have effective vaccines when they first pop up and spread, so it is important to have a safety protocol in place for you and your pet when they do.

CATS

1. Refrain from feeding your cat raw food. Many cat parents are tapping into their indoor cat’s wild side by feeding them raw food since they cannot go outside to hunt. Raw cat food has been found to be contaminated with the bird flu. To reduce your cat’s risk of infection, you can substitute raw food with a cooked variety of canned food. Consult your veterinarian before making any changes to your cat’s diet.
2. Bring your outdoor cat indoors. Bringing your nature-loving kitty inside won’t be an easy feat, so you will need to do this incrementally. At each mealtime, bring the food bowl closer to a door to your home, then place the bowl directly outside of the door, then place the bowl right inside of the door with the door open, then begin feeding your cat inside with the door closed. Set aside time for your cat to be indoors to become acquainted and comfortable with being inside. When you need your cat to be inside due to a viral outbreak or dangerous weather conditions, you will have a significantly easier time bringing your cat inside.
3. Remove all bird feeders. Since wild birds are the spreaders of the virus, removing all incentives for birds to approach your home will help to reduce your outdoor cat’s chances of coming into contact with the bird flu.

DOGS

Because waterfowl are migratory, they can be found anywhere where there are bodies of water which includes rural towns and urban cities. This strain of the bird flu has been mostly seen on farms, but it has also been found in birds who congregate on lakes near cities.

1. Find a new walking route away from water. Your dog may love their routine walk by a creek or around a lake, but they will be excited to discover new sights, sounds, and smells on a new route.
2. Keep your dog on a leash. Even the tamest of pups can be driven by prey and may surprise you by chasing after a bird or squirrel. To prevent your dog from coming in contact with an infected animal, make sure that they are always attached to a leash. Leashes come in many different lengths, so you can experiment with which length works the best for your dog.
3. Don’t give your dog food with raw meat ingredients. Unfortunately, this includes freeze-dried treats and meal toppers. There are freeze-dried options that are made with cooked meat, so make sure to read the ingredients before purchasing and giving to your dog.