I want to start with a little detail and background
information about this virus. If you are on a quest for the “just tell me what
I need to do” version, you can jump to the end. But I hope you gain a little
more insight by reading the whole thing. This virus isn’t just about birds but
can have a significant impact on our companion animals and also humans.
Avian Influenza, commonly known as Bird Flu, has been
documented since the late 1800s, with linkage to a specific virus (Influenza A:H5N1)
identified in the mid 1950s. As scientific
work continued, the disease was differentiated into two categories depending on
how infectious the particular organism is: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
(HPAI) and Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI). The severity as high or low in terms of
pathogenicity concerns the effect of the disease in birds or poultry, not the impact
or severity in other species. Regardless of the different outcomes for poultry,
both types can have a severe impact on humans and other animals.
There have been numerous outbreaks of HPAI since its
discovery. The current outbreak began in late March, 2024, when infection was
found in dairy cows. The first human infections from this latest outbreak
occurred about one month later. As with all viruses of this type, the causative
organism has evolved to infect different animals and also to create new
challenges in detection and prevention, just as our common flu virus does on a
regular basis.
Two main variants exist, one of which spreads
primarily through cows, and the other spreads primarily through wild and domesticated
birds including poultry in farmed settings.
Farm workers in dairy settings are particularly vulnerable to the dairy
variant. Unpasteurized milk has been
found to contain high levels of the virus which contributes to easy
transmission to workers when droplets in the air from the milking process can
be inhaled or come into contact with mucus membranes. In these cases, the virus
from dairy cows usually leads to a mild respiratory illness and conjunctivitis,
or inflammation of the outer layer of the eye.
The variant that spreads through contact with sick
birds has led to more than 67 people becoming ill as of this writing (every
time I look the number has increased). Two of those had a severe case, with one
hospitalized for several months and one death in Louisiana early in 2025. Studies
in these cases revealed that the virus mutated within the patients showing the
ability of the virus to adapt to infect humans more easily. As of this writing
there are no reports of human-to-human transmission. Reporting always occurs
after the fact, however, so that could change especially given mutations found
in the virus so far.
While the number of humans infected so far is small, the virus has shown that it mutates and is developing increased infectious ability. On January 31, 2025, the Virginia Department of Health issued an update stating that the risk from Avian Influenza viruses to the general public is low, but is increased for people with job or recreational exposure to birds or other avian influenza virus-infected animals. It is a greater threat to our animals, so it is a good approach to stay aware of changes and to be mindful of increasing risk in order to protect them. The USDA APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) wild bird surveillance program shows that the infection has been documented in birds in a large number of counties across Virginia. Most common on the list are waterfowl and raptors, along with some crows. That may be a function of the birds available to test, however, and not necessarily an indication of the spread of the virus in the wild.
Note: If you are a fan of backyard bird feeding,
the typical songbird that visits a backyard feeder is not immune but is thought
to be at lower risk for infection than other wildlife. Since 2022, there have
been comparatively fewer instances of HPAI in wild songbirds and they are less
likely to shed high levels of virus. For this latest outbreak, there is not yet
an advisory to remove bird feeders, although that was a recommendation with
previous outbreaks.
What does this mean for our dogs? Our dogs are at greater risk than we humans, for sure. Although a dog becoming ill with this virus is likely to have flu-like symptoms, secondary infections and pneumonia are always a risk as are other complications. So doing what we can to prevent infection is always the best step when confronting any transmissible virus. One significant area of risk is through the consumption of raw meat products and raw milk. The death of a number of cats is suspected to be linked to consumption of infected raw milk so far, and both raw milk and raw meat-based pet foods have been recalled after testing positive for the virus.
While this virus continues to spread and morph, the
best guidance currently to help protect your dog from infection includes the
following:
- Avoid feeding raw meat, especially poultry products, and raw milk.
- Avoid walking in areas where wild waterfowl gather, especially if your dog is one that enjoys cleaning up the sidewalks where geese congregate (definitely a golden retriever favorite activity).
- Avoid walking through areas where there are feeders or otherwise likely to have collections of droppings.
- Prevent your dog (or cat) from picking up any remains or carcasses from dead animals. That is always a good idea, so the current HPAI outbreak just emphasizes the value of avoidance.
- Keep pets away from wild birds, poultry, cattle, and their environments where there could be a risk of virus exposure.
- The American Veterinary Medical Association also recommends keeping food and water out of reach of wild birds or rodents, so any outside feeding arrangements or water should be protected from exposure.
- Remove your shoes before entering your home if you have walked through an area where there are droppings.
At my house, one more thing we are doing is staying further ahead than usual on our supply of food. One of the proteins my dog eats is duck, so we are planning ahead. The last time there was an outbreak of avian flu, duck-based dog food was impossible to find for many months. When you have a dog with allergies and GI sensitivities, planning ahead can make a big difference in ensuring the specific foods they need are available with minimal interruption. Otherwise, we are enjoying our usual routines, but choosing places to walk that make it easy to keep our distance from the flocks of geese that are so common around Virginia this time of year.
For Further Reading:
American Veterinary Medical Association, Avian
influenza in pets and backyard flocks. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza/avian-influenza-companion-animals
Avian Influenza Outbreak: Should you take down your
bird feeders? Cornell Lab: All About Birds, January 3, 2025. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/avian-influenza-outbreak-should-you-take-down-your-bird-feeders/
Centers for Disease Control, Highlights in the history
of avian influenza https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/avian-timeline/index.html
Kozlov, M. Will bird flu spark a human pandemic? Scientists
say the risk is rising. Nature, January 27, 2025. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00245-6
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS),
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/wild-birds
