Preliminary positive tests for bird flu in four PEI fox kits are a cause for concern, but not an alarm, says Dr. Jill Wood, a provincial veterinarian.
“It shows we need to stay vigilant, I think, because it’s a new and somewhat unexpected development,” Wood said.
Twenty-three birds have tested positive on the island and 16 more tests are pending.
Mammalian infections are uncommon, he 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 in cats in Germany, Wood said, but it was during a much more severe outbreak than PEI is experiencing. Dogs have been found to have antibodies to the virus, but are not known to get sick.
“All the evidence seems to indicate that when these unusual mammals become infected, it ends up here. They don’t have the ability to transmit it to another mammal,” Wood said.
That said, Wood believes it is only reasonable to take a few precautions.
If the kits are confirmed to have bird flu, the most likely source is believed to be eating an infected bird. Wood suggests keeping dogs on a leash so they don’t catch bird carcasses, and also keeping domestic cats under control.
Barn cats should be kept separate from any poultry that appears sick.