An indoor cat in Oregon recently died from H5N1 avian flu, after eating contaminated raw pet food. The raw food, which tested positive for avian flu, was produced and sold by Portland, Oregon-based pet food company Northwest Naturals. The food in question is called "Feline Turkey Recipe" and is sold raw and frozen. The company has implemented a voluntary recall on one lot of the product, which was sold in 12 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, as well as Canada's British Columbia.
Mass Live reports:
"We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food," Oregon Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz said in a release.
"This cat was strictly an indoor cat; it was not exposed to the virus in its environment, and results from the genome sequencing confirmed that the virus recovered from the raw pet food and infected cat were exact matches to each other."
Customers who purchased the recalled products should "immediately discard the product," and return the product for a refund.
The Los Angeles Times reports that avian flu is picking up steam as it spreads across the United States and abroad, killing wild animals, commercial livestock, zoo animals, and even some people, and states that "scientists and health officials fear we're on the precipice of another global pandemic."
This piece, published by Hey SoCal, has a great list of precautions that can help reduce the spread of H5N1, including: (1) Wear proper personal protective equipment if you work closely with animals; (2) Wash hands with soap and water and avoid touching you face; (3) Avoid raw milk—do not drink it nor feed it to your pets; (4) Avoid undercooked meat products; (5) If you see a dead bird, do not touch it—instead call your local animal control agency; and (6) Keep your domestic pets away from wild animals and birds.
I'll also add that it never hurts to wear a good respirator, KN95 or better, which help prevent the spread of all airborne viruses, including COVID-19, the flu, and more.
Read more about preventing H5N1 here. Stay safe, friends!
Previously:
• 'How a Sausage Dog Works' is an experimental animation by Julian Józef Antonisz
• This sausage dog slapping its tail to the beat of 'Louisiana Saturday Night' is one of the best videos on the internet
• Weiner Dog enjoys riding around in his li'l Weiner-Mobile