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#Cat Death Losses Due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in #SouthDakota
Updated January 13, 2025
"#Veterinarians and laboratory diagnosticians are fielding reports of death losses in cat populations linked to avian influenza infections.
"Beginning in 2022, an #H5N1 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza (abbreviated as HPAI) virus caused death losses in domestic turkeys and chickens in South Dakota and elsewhere in the United States, an outbreak that continues. The HPAI virus causes respiratory and multiple organ failure in affected birds, typically appearing as increased numbers of dead birds in large commercial operations, as well as smaller backyard flocks. Deaths in wild birds, typically migrating waterfowl but also other bird species, have been observed at the same time, as well as spillover of the virus into mammals, such as raccoons, foxes, skunks, and other species.
"In Spring 2024, the HPAI virus began infecting #DairyCows, causing drops in milk production and other signs of illness. Unlike infections in other species, widespread death losses have not been associated with HPAI infections in dairy cows.
"About the same time as its emergence in dairy cows, the HPAI virus was implicated in deaths of domestic cats in the vicinity of affected farms. Most affected cats showed #neurologic signs, such as #tremors or #seizures, for a short period of time before dying.
"Since that time, three cases of substantial death losses in groups of outdoor domestic cats in South Dakota have been described. In each of these cases, there has been no apparent link to dairy cows, other livestock, or domestic poultry."
Read more:
https://extension.sdstate.edu/cat-death-losses-due-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-south-dakota
#HPAINews #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #CDCCensorship
@DoomsdaysCW I am concerned not just about the cats, but also about how their population reduction may affect the balance of other animal populations, especially small prey species like rodents, which tend to be efficient disease vectors.
@kimlockhartga @DoomsdaysCW
No connection? Farms often look after colonies of feral cats for rodent control. They'll wander and meet other cats. The ones the vets see will be pets that seem to have no connection to the farm.
@kneworldodor @DoomsdaysCW excellent point
@kimlockhartga @DoomsdaysCW
The feral cats are fed milk they don't market or give to calfs due to medication of the cows producing it. In this plague I can see potential for common farm practices spreading disease.