Dog and cat owners have actually been cautioned that their precious family pets are at threat of capturing bird influenza after 24 cats checked positive for the infection in Poland.
Sadly 9 of these felines have actually passed away sometimes of composing.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has actually now prompted individuals to take additional care with their furry buddies as the source of the contamination has actually not yet been identified.
The extensive bird influenza epidemic has actually had a destructive influence on both domestic and wild bird populations, leading to countless deaths throughout 67 nations, consisting of the UK.
Scientists have actually revealed issue over the incident of bird flu-related deaths amongst wild mammals, such as foxes, which can contract the infection while hunting contaminated birds or consuming their carcasses.
Now European health chiefs are advising family pet owners to keep them on leashes while walking in order to prevent the very same dangers.
Although the specific source of the break out stays unidentified, European health authorities have actually observed that around half of the impacted cats had actually been fed raw poultry by their owners, possibly resulting in transmission of the infection.
Officials have actually clarified that there have actually been no validated cases of bird influenza transmission in between cats or from cats to people in these circumstances.
Furthermore, a different research study carried out on a farm in Italy, where bird influenza existed, revealed that 5 dogs and a cat had antibodies suggesting direct exposure to the illness.
The EFSA said that “it is recommended to avoid exposure of domestic cats and dogs, and in general carnivore pets, to dead or diseased animals”.
Their declaration continued: “Possible measures are keeping dogs on a leash, and confining cats indoors in areas where extensive circulation of HPAI [highly pathogenic avian influenza] viruses in wild birds has been confirmed.”
According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, an overall of 188 cases of bird influenza have actually been recognized in the UK given that October 2022.
UK homeowners have actually received assistance to reduce the threat of contracting the illness by avoiding dealing with dead or ill wild birds.
However, unlike the suggestions supplied by the EFSA, there has actually been no main assistance or suggestions from English health authorities relating to interactions in between cats or dogs and wild birds.
