The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is advising pet parents not to feed their pets Monarch Raw Pet Food, due to detection of H5 bird flu virus in product samples.
A house cat that consumed the product, bought from a farmers’ market, has been confirmed H5 bird flu positive and four other house cats from the same household are also presumed to be affected.
A listing of all the locations where the food is sold can be found on the Monarch Raw Pet Food site.
In a statement, the Los Angeles County Health Department said: “Residents who fed their pets Monarch Raw Pet Food products or other raw meat or dairy products and notice their pet is experiencing symptoms should immediately contact their veterinarian.”
Symptoms in pets infected with H5 bird flu include:
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness
- Respiratory and/or neurological signs
You can read the full details of the warning on the Los Angeles County Health website.
This news comes just days after a recall by Northwest Naturals, after a batch of its 2lb Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food was confirmed to be contaminated with the avian influenza (HPAI) virus.
What is H5 bird flu?
H5 bird flu refers to various strains of influenza A viruses that typically infect birds. While these viruses mainly affect wild birds, sometimes they also infect other animals, including wild and domestic animals (including seals, foxes, cats, and cows).
H5N1 is one type of avian influenza that has been spreading among birds and mammals, leading to a nationwide outbreak. This is the first time these bird flu viruses have been found to be spreading in cows.
The overall risk of H5 bird flu to the public remains low. There is currently no evidence of person to person spread of this virus.
Reporting pet food problems
Although the FDA has not released a statement about this issue, yet, it does encourage consumers to report complaints about pet food products. You can do this electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or visit the SmartHub – Safety Intake Portal – Report a Product Problem (fda.gov) to obtain electronic assistance.
Canadians can report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.
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