Cat owners, beware. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has revealed some raw cat food is being recalled due to fears it is contaminated with bird flu (officially known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1).
Recalled raw cat food: product description, lot numbers, best buy date…
According to the announcement, Wild Coast LLC, which operates as Wild Coast Raw out of Olympia, Washington, has issued a voluntary recall of lots of 16oz and 24oz ‘Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula,’ which was distributed to pet food retailers in Washington State and Oregon.
The products to look out for come in a small round white plastic container with a green label and have a best buy date of 12/25. The affected lots are #22660, #22653, #22641, #22639, #22672 and #22664, although the recall has been widened to also include other raw material with similar production dates and lot codes #22660 and #22664.
How do I know if my cat has bird flu?
“People who fed pets the recalled products should watch for symptoms of bird flu in their pets, including fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurological signs like tremors, stiff body movements, seizure, lack of coordination, or blindness. People with pets exhibiting these signs after feeding this product should contact their veterinarian,” states the notice.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recently warned that cats are especially at risk of getting bird flu because of their diet and hunting habits: “Cats appear to be particularly susceptible to severe illness, often resulting in death”.
Can humans get bird flu? Symptoms to look out for
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s announcement regarding the recall, “no human infections have been identified among people handling raw pet food products,” although “people can become infected if the virus gets into a person’s eyes, nose, or mouth.”
If people who have handled such products experience symptoms consistent with bird flu (eye redness or irritation (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, seizures, rash, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting) they should contact their healthcare provider and local health department.
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