NW officials issue public health alert, raw pet food warning after 2 Portland-area cats contract bird flu, are euthanized

SALEM, Ore. (KTZV) -- The Oregon and Washington Departments of Agriculture warned pet owners Friday about the risks of raw pet food after tests confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in two cats living in different households in Multnomah County.

The owners of the cats, in consultation with their veterinarians, elected to humanely euthanize the pets due to the severity of the illness. ODA confirmed both cats ate the same brand of raw pet food before becoming ill, the ODA said in a news release that continues in full below.

In both cases, the veterinarians followed the correct protocol in reporting the illness to ODA. Agency staff collected samples from the affected cats and opened containers of the raw pet food, providing additional unopened containers to the Washington State Department of Agriculture for additional testing.

Tests conducted by the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories at the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of HPAI in both cats and the food samples.

In response to these findings, as well as additional testing performed by WSDA, a public health alert has been issued by WSDA, warning consumers about the risk of HPAI in certain lots of raw pet food produced by Wild Coas Raw in Olympia, Washington.

Consumers are urged to check the lot numbers on Wild Coast Raw products at home. If they match the affected lots, pet owners should stop feeding the product to their animals immediately. For more information on the health alert involving Wild Coast Raw pet food, please contact the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

These are the fifth cats known to have become infected with the bird flu virus that died in Oregon, and this is the second case in recent months that a Northwest brand of raw cat food has been tainted with the deadly virus. 

Last month, a cat in Washington County with exposure to wild ducks and geese tested positive for HPAI. In December, a Portland pet food company issued a nationwide voluntary recall of Northwest Naturals when another Washington County cat died after consuming raw frozen pet food that tested positive for HFN1.

Cats, including both domestic and wild cats, such as tigers, mountain lions, lynx, etc., are particularly sensitive to H5N1 avian influenza, and care should be taken not to expose these animals to the virus, officials said.

Dogs can also contract H5N1, though they appear less susceptible to the virus than cats.

Tips to help protect your pet from H5N1:

• Do not feed your pet undercooked or raw meat, including uncooked or freeze-dried meat-based diets, treats, or animal products.
• Do not feed your pet raw (unpasteurized) milk or colostrum.
• Prevent pets from eating birds or other wild animals.
• Wash your hands after touching raw meat and interacting with poultry, livestock, or animals outside your household.
• Consider changing clothing and shoes after interacting with animals or birds with unknown health status and before interacting with your own pets.
• Contact your veterinarian if your pet appears sick. Tell your veterinarian if your pet has been exposed to raw meat, raw milk, or wild waterfowl.

If you suspect your pet has H5N1, please immediately contact your veterinarian and tell them about any risk factors. Veterinarians must immediately report any suspected cases of influenza in animals to the Oregon Department of Agriculture at (503) 986-4711.

Public health monitors all people exposed to animals infected with HPAI through 10 days following their last exposure. There have been no documented human cases of HPAI following exposure to an infected cat, ODA said.