Raw food of wild coastal pets reminded of fears of bird flu

A Washington company has remembered pet food products in the midst of continuous bird flu blasts.

On March 1, Wild Coast Raw from Olympia, Washington, has remembered its frozen food without frozen chicken with cats, according to a March 1st announcement by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The product can potentially contain the very pathogenic influenza of birds (HPAI) H5N1, the announced statement. Animals that eat contaminated food can contract the virus.

Memory touches 16 oz. and 24 oz. Product sizes. Parts numbers are listed on the FDA website.

The announcement comes day after the State Agriculture Department in Washington (WSDA) warned pets owners that at least two household cats, houses have tested positive for the HPA tandeling of the bird flu.

“One of the cats was euthanized because of the severity of the disease,” WSDA said in the February 26th announcement. “The second cat is being treated by a veterinarian.”

“This is a difficult situation – we love our pets and is devastating when they get sick,” said WSDA veterinarian Dr Zac Turner. “If your cat is showing symptoms, consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.”

Owners of pets whose pets ate any of the products drawn should monitor for any symptoms of bird flu, including fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddish or inflamed eyes, emery and nose discharges, difficulty breathing and neurological signs such as vibration, solid body movement, seizure, seizure.

Pets with these symptoms should be seen by a veterinarian.

“Cats have previously been seen infected with bird flu through the alleged contact with infected birds,” David J. Cennimo, MD, Professor of Infectious Diseases at Rutgers New Jersey, told Digital Fox.

“Recently, the swallowing of raw food that was made with chickens or other birds that were infected with bird flu has resulted in cat infections. That is why raw food poses some risk and it should be remembered if contaminated with bird flu.”

No cases of infections transmitted by cooked bird products have been reported, Cennimo noted, “so these remain safe for pets as well as humans.”

There have been reports for people who contract the bird flu after the treatment of raw food of pets, but there is a possibility of transmission if the virus enters the eye, nose or mouth, FDA warned.

To prevent this, the agency recommends that people leave their hands after treating the raw product and sanitizing contact surfaces such as countertops, refrigerators, bowls or tools.

“People who have treated contaminated products should look for symptoms of bird flu, including redness or irritation (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, sneezing, nasal/nasal, muscle/body pain, headache, fever, breath, FDA is recommended.

“People who display these signs after having contacts with this product should contact their healthcare provider and local health department.”

Experts also recommend that pets owners isolate diseased animals and use proper precautions when taking care of them.

WSDA advises against raw food food of pets or animal raw milk, its announcement said.

“Public health monitors all people exposed to HPA -infected animals within 10 days after their last exposure,” the agency said.

More than 80 household cats have been confirmed to have contracted the bird flu since 2022, according to KFF Health News.