LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Thinking your pet might have bird flu? A Las Vegas pet expert explained how to spot whether your pet has it.
Jessica Dowling is the Medical Director for the Veterinary Emergency Group in Summerlin and Henderson.
She said while Southern Nevada has seen no evidence of local cat-to-cat, cat-to-human, or human-to-human spread of h5 bird flu, and the risk to the general public continues to be low, we all should still be educated and vigilant.
The CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states and vet offices to monitor people with animal exposures, “It is getting more common.”
A month ago a mountain lion in Carson City tested positive for bird flu, and in California during the same month, a handful of domestic cats tested positive.
“What they are seeing is cats that are coming up positive have been exposed to raw animal products, raw meats, raw milk, raw eggs and have a tight affinity to being on a farm, being exposed to dairy cows,” Dowling added.
While many of us here in Southern Nevada don’t live on a farm, there is one thing that people here have in common: rescue animals.
“A lot of us rescue, so knowing whether or not you have a rescue cat that may have come from one of those areas, is important,” Dowling said.
While bird flu is extremely rare in dogs, she adds there are the symptoms to look for in both.
“You’re looking for respiratory signs in dogs. You’re looking for respiratory signs in cats, redness in eyes, or being lethargic, or neurologic signs, walking in a circle, not being balanced, signs more severe in cats versus dogs.”
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