Avian Influenza (H5N1) and Your Pets: What You Need to Know
H5N1 bird flu has expanded beyond poultry into mammals including cats and dogs. Learn the risks, symptoms, and how to protect your pets.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) was once a disease of poultry and wild birds, but recent outbreaks have spread the virus into mammals — including domestic cats and, less commonly, dogs. Cats appear especially susceptible and can develop severe, often fatal disease. Most pet infections have been linked to eating raw or undercooked poultry, drinking unpasteurized milk, or hunting infected wild birds. Because H5N1 can also infect people, protecting your pet protects your household.
Key Points
- H5N1 avian influenza can infect cats and, less often, dogs
- Cats are highly susceptible and can develop fatal neurological and respiratory disease
- Most infections come from raw poultry, unpasteurized milk, or hunting wild birds
- Neurological signs (tremors, seizures, blindness) are common in infected cats
- H5N1 is zoonotic — infected pets can pose a risk to people
- Feeding cooked food and limiting contact with wild birds is the best prevention
How Pets Get Infected
Pets are most commonly infected by eating raw or undercooked poultry, raw pet diets containing poultry, or unpasteurized (raw) milk from infected dairy cattle. Outdoor cats can also become infected by catching and eating sick or dead wild birds. Direct contact with infected birds, their droppings, or contaminated environments (such as farms or live-bird markets) is another route. Cat-to-cat transmission has been documented in shelter settings.
Symptoms in Cats and Dogs
In cats, signs often progress rapidly and include fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, difficulty breathing, and nasal or eye discharge. Neurological signs are a hallmark of H5N1 in cats: tremors, incoordination, circling, seizures, and blindness. Many infected cats die within days. Dogs appear more resistant and may show milder signs such as fever, lethargy, nasal discharge, coughing, or breathing difficulty, though severe cases can occur.
Risk to People (Zoonotic Concern)
H5N1 is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can spread from animals to people. While human cases from pets are rare, an infected cat or dog can shed virus in respiratory secretions, saliva, and feces. People with close contact — especially veterinary staff and household members — should use caution. Anyone who becomes ill with flu-like symptoms after contact with a sick pet should tell their doctor about the exposure.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis requires laboratory testing (PCR) of respiratory swabs or tissue, usually coordinated with public health authorities. There is no specific cure; treatment is intensive supportive care — oxygen therapy, IV fluids, anti-seizure medication, and nutritional support — and infected animals must be strictly isolated. Antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir have been used in some cases, but the prognosis for cats with neurological disease is poor.
Prevention
Feed only commercially prepared, cooked, or properly heat-treated pet food — avoid raw poultry diets and unpasteurized milk during outbreaks. Keep cats indoors to prevent hunting of wild birds. Avoid contact with sick or dead birds and with farm or live-bird-market environments. Wash hands after handling raw meat. If you keep backyard poultry, keep pets away from the birds and their enclosures, and report unusual bird deaths to local authorities.
When to See a Vet Immediately
- Your pet shows sudden fever, lethargy, or loss of appetite after eating raw poultry or contacting birds
- Any breathing difficulty, coughing, or nasal/eye discharge
- Neurological signs: tremors, seizures, circling, incoordination, or blindness
- Your outdoor cat has been hunting and suddenly becomes ill
- You suspect contact with sick or dead wild birds
How RVC Can Help
RVC offers 24/7 emergency care, isolation facilities, oxygen therapy, and access to PCR testing for suspected avian influenza. If your pet may have been exposed to H5N1, call us before arriving so our team can prepare proper isolation and protective measures to keep other patients, your family, and our staff safe.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice. If your pet is showing any symptoms, please contact Royal Veterinary Center immediately at +853 6677 6611.