Are pet dogs and cats the weak link in bird flu surveillance?

She cited the Preventive Controls for Animal Food requirements, which state that pet food manufacturers are responsible “for ensuring that raw materials and other ingredients” are received only from approved suppliers “whose raw materials are subject to verification activities.”

But with only limited testing of dairy cattle currently taking place, and uncertainty about the spread of the disease in the U.S. cattle industry, determining H5N1 status in cows destined for slaughter is murky at best, experts said.

Van Rein said that people can take measures to protect their pets — and themselves — by avoiding raw meat. But if they insist on purchasing it for their pets, state health officials said, these precautions can lessen the risk: Keep it frozen or refrigerated until ready to use; thaw under refrigeration or in a microwave just prior to use; keep raw meat and poultry products separate from other foods; wash working surfaces, utensils (including cutting boards and preparation and feeding bowls), hands and any other items that touch raw meat or poultry with hot, soapy water.

Finally, Van Rein said, refrigerate leftovers immediately or discard them.

Veterinarians “really don’t recommend feeding raw food diets to dogs and cats,” Sykes said. “It definitely increases the risk of certain infectious diseases like salmonella and listeriosis.”

She said people can reduce their pets’ exposure to avian flu and other pathogens by keeping cats indoors, keeping dogs on leashes, and possibly avoiding raw pet food.

She said veterinary societies and outreach organizations are urging vets to be on the lookout for signs of H5N1 infection, which could include listlessness, conjunctivitis, blindness, neurological symptoms and/or difficulty breathing.

She noted that during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, pets were also infected. In response, diagnostic labs added specific tests for COVID into their PCR panels, “and that was a good way to monitor for it in companion animals.”

She said similar diagnostic tests should be made for H5N1.

“I think the sooner we get those types of diagnostic tests, the better it will be in terms of preparedness,” she said.