With the rise of bird flu cases across the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control has issued guidelines on how to prevent the spread of the virus from animals to humans.
In a report published earlier this year, the CDC says there have been rare instances over the last decade where bird flu viruses have spread from mammals to people. Examples include the spread of bird flu from a cat to a human in 2016 and from cows in 2024.
The agency says that the best way to prevent a bird flu infection is to, “avoid direct contact with sick or dead wild birds, poultry, and other animals and observe them only from a distance.”
If a bird or pet is infected with an avian virus, The American Veterinary Medical Association urges pet owners to immediately isolate their pets to prevent further exposure to the virus and contact a veterinarian.
However, direct contact with sick or dead birds is not the only way for pets to contract bird flu. Two cats in Washington contracted bird flu likely from contaminated pet food. One cat had to be euthanized due to the severity of its illness and the other is being treated by a veterinarian.
The CDC says prolonged exposure to infected animals without proper personal protective equipment could increase your risk of contracting an avian influenza virus. If you have been exposed to an animal with bird flu, you should monitor your health for symptoms of infection including fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, conjunctivitis, and others.
For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/virus-transmission/avian-in-other-animals
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