Denver (KDVR) – Nearly dozens of home cats in Colorado got the latest bird influenza strain and officials say only one of the 11 cats survived.
This includes only internal and internal cats.
“This is a new and emerging situation that we learn a lot as we go,” said Dr. Christie Babylonia, Executive Director of Diagnostics Laborators at Colorado State University.
She said: “Recently, we have been discovering the influenza virus, which are very sick in home cats and seeing more cats recently than we were in the past,” she said.
Babylonia says the cases are believed to be Associated with raw or non -cooked meat, Unpasteurized milk, exposure to infected birds and their balconies.
“I just looked at the number this morning, in the United States so far, there are more than 120 confirmed cases in home cats … they are very related. These are the pets cats of people,” Babelonia said.
Experts say it is not the first time that they have seen the flu in cats, but they see more cases of this last fascism.
“I was 43 years old,” said Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, a veterinarian at the Alamida East Veterinary Hospital. “I saw the various viruses, so he was never surprised by the viruses and what they could do and the extent.”
Fitzgerald works with cats every day.
“I haven’t seen anything yet. It is definitely here and cats are more likely,” he said.
Cats infected with bird influenza have a variety of symptoms, including fever, lethargy, weakness, loss of appetite, respiratory distress and nerve signs such as tremors and seizures.
To prevent your cat from getting bird flu, he says you should start keeping it inside.
“Not to feed raw meat or unpasteurized milk,” said Fitzgerald. “Cleaning areas outside and keeping our cats away from the local backyard chicken will be something else.”
This also includes raw pet food that you can buy in a grocery store.
Experts say that vigilance is important. You want to make sure to monitor your cat’s behavior and what they do during the open air. If your cat encounter any of the symptoms that are urged to ask for more help in a veterinary hospital.