Keep Your Pets Safe from HPAI: What You Need to Know ðŸ¦
At Coal Creek Animal Hospital, your pet’s safety is our top priority. Recently, a wild goose in Louisville tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) is urging residents to take precautions to protect themselves and their pets. While the risk to humans remains low, it’s essential to be cautious around wild birds and practice safe habits.
🦜 What is HPAI?
HPAI is a viral disease that primarily affects wild birds, but it can spread to domestic animals. It’s highly contagious among birds and can be transmitted through contact with infected birds, their droppings, or contaminated surfaces.
How to Protect Your Pets:
- Avoid contact with wild birds – Keep your pets indoors or on a leash when outside, especially near areas with wild bird activity. Don’t let your pet approach sick or dead birds.
- Clean your pet’s paws and fur – After outdoor time, wipe your pet’s paws and fur to remove any potential contamination.
- Wipe your shoes or leave them outside – Make sure to wipe your shoes before entering the house or leave your shoes in a bin outside to avoid bringing in any virus particles.
- Avoid feeding raw diets or milk – Pets may become infected if they drink under pasteurized milk, or eat raw or undercooked meat.
- Be cautious with bird feeders – Consider temporarily removing bird feeders and baths to reduce attracting wild birds that may carry the virus.
- Monitor for illness: Watch for signs of illness in birds and report any suspicious symptoms to the State Veterinarian’s Office at 303-869-9130 or using the reportable disease case report form. Please contact your veterinarian if you observe any of the following signs in your own pets.  
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Low Appetite
- Reddened or inflamed eyes
- Discharge from the eyes/nose
- Difficulty breathing
- Neurological signs such as tremors, seizures, or blindness.
To find more information on the local HPAI detection, please visit https://bouldercounty.gov/news/avian-influenza-detected-in-wild-goose-in-boulder-county/.
For more information on HPAI in domestic animals, please visit http://avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza/avian-influenza-companion-animals