Hey,

Happy Wednesday!

No silly stories from me this week. Instead, I want to address something that I know is on the minds of many dog parents.

A couple of weeks ago I briefly mentioned the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI or H5N1) virus, also known as the less tongue-twisting ‘bird flu’.

This virus, which can be deadly to many animals, has spread among wild birds, leading to infections among domestic and livestock animals. The recent bird flu-related deaths of cats in Oregon and California have brought it to the attention of many pet parents, including those worried about their dogs.

Part of the concern has been caused by some cases coming from infected raw products: milk and meat. People naturally wonder whether raw food is a riskier option.

But it’s also very easy to panic or overreact in these situations, often without having all the facts to hand. Which is why we spoke to three experts, including Dr. Judy Morgan, to get their opinions and put together some information and guidance on the topic of bird flu and raw food. You can read it here...

It tells you what avian influenza is, the symptoms, whether it’s a risk to dogs, the best ways to avoid it, and whether feeding raw food to your dog is dangerous. 

It also discusses High Pressure Processing (HPP), a method used by many raw food manufacturers to kill off pathogens.

It is not just for people who raw feed — the biggest danger comes from contact with wild birds — so please read it whatever dog food you use. 

If you'd like a personal tale to illustrate my take on the relative risks; on my walk yesterday, my dog wandered off and I found him sniffing around the dismembered (by a fox, I assume) remains of a gull. This worried me and I rapidly got him away. But I still feed him raw food.

You might also want to read this news article explaining the latest FDA guidelines for manufacturers: FDA Urges Pet Food Manufacturers to Revamp Safety Plans to Address ‘Bird Flu’ Risks.

As always, my love and best wishes to you and your dogs. I hope this article brings you some comfort. Stay safe, stay healthy and stay happy. 

Until next time,

Andrew

Editor
The Dog Food Advisor
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