Preliminary positive tests for bird flu in four sets of PEI fox are a cause for concern, but not concern, says provincial veterinarian Dr. Jill Wood.
“I think that shows that we need to stay vigilant because this is a new and somewhat unexpected development,” Wood said.
Twenty-three birds have tested positive on the island and 16 more tests are pending.
Infections in mammals are uncommon, she said. It is known that pigs can catch it and pass it on to humans, but there is no evidence that this is possible for pets such as dogs or cats.
There have been some cases of cats in Germany, Wood said, but this was during a much more severe outbreak than the PEI is experiencing. Dogs have been found to have antibodies to the virus, but are not known to become ill.
“All the evidence seems to show that when these unusual mammals become infected, it ends up there. They don’t have the ability to pass it on to another mammal,” Wood said.
With that in mind, Wood believes it’s wise to take some precautions.
If the kits are confirmed to have bird flu, the most likely source is thought to be eating an infected bird. Wood suggests keeping dogs on a leash so they don’t pick up bird carcasses, and keeping domestic cats under control.
Cats in the barn should be kept separate from all poultry that look sick.
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